The Fellowship and the Dragon
by Sajira
Summary: When Ruby attends the Council of Elrond, she will have to overcome her past to join the Fellowship. Old friendships arise, and one in particular kindles into something more as they fight for Middle Earth.
1. Chapter 1

_Welcome, Welcome and Thrice Welcome to An Unexpected Guest's sequel!_

 _Many of you probably hate me right now because of the ending of my last Fic, but fret not, this one doesn't end in heartbreak. Maybe. I'm not sure, you know what I'm like._

 _To the newcomers, you don't necessarily have to read "An Unexpected Guest" to understand this fic, but it would be nice of you to leave some feedback there._

* * *

 _The 22nd day of September in the year 1400 by Shire-reckoning._

 _Bag End, Bagshot Row, Hobbiton, Westfarthing, the Shire, Middle-Earth._

 _The third age of this world._

 _There and Back Again: A Hobbit's Tale._

 _By Bilbo Baggins._

 _Concerning Hobbits._

 _Hobbits have been living and farming in the four farthings of the Shire for many hundreds of years. Quite content to ignore and be ignored by the world of the Big Folk. Middle-earth being, after all, full of strange creatures beyond count, Hobbits must seem of little importance being neither renowned as great warriors nor counted among the very wise. In fact, it has been remarked by some that Hobbit's only real passion is for food._

 _A rather unfair observation as we have also developed a keen in the brewing of ales and the smoking of pipe-weed. But where our hearts truly lie is in peace and quiet and good, tilled earth. For all Hobbits share a love of things that grow._

 _And, yes, no doubt to others, our ways seem quaint. But today of all days, it is brought home to me: It is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life._

 _And so life in the Shire goes on very as it has this past Age full of its own comings and goings, with change coming slowly. If it comes at all. For things are made to endure in the Shire passing from one generation to the next. There's always been a Baggins living here under the Hill in Bag End. And there always will be._

* * *

Ruby sat on a branch on the outskirts of Hobbiton, watching the merry people from the shadows. It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky. The laughter of children reached her ears, as well as the careless chatting of the Hobbits. She let her eyes wander across the open field, the small town, the market in the middle, the lake on the far edge.

A farmer and his son were working the field and leading their cows that were pulling the plough. Another Hobbit tugged on the end of a rope tied to a hog. The village square was bustling full of Hobbits at work. Other Hobbits were hard at work milking cows and tending to their houses, gardening and raking. They looked quite cheerful and happy. Peaceful and content, some of them even sleeping on the job.

A Hobbit gave the girl he likes flowers and she leaned in for a kiss when he spotted some rolls being carried by and grabbed one, stuffing it in his mouth, temporarily forgetting about his girlfriend. More Hobbits were carrying barrels from the orchards. Another was carrying one on his shoulder with a mug in hand, drinking as much ale as possible. A group of pipe-smokers were sitting around and enjoying each other's company.

From a distance, Ruby recognized Sam, one of Frodo's friends and the Baggins' gardener, planting flowers outside of his home, taking pleasure in that hobby and the beautiful flowers. The Hobbits were also setting up for Bilbo's big party, putting up banners and ribbons and tents.

In a less dense part of the forest, she saw Frodo sitting with his back to a tree, his nose stuck in a book. Probably imagining himself in an adventure. His head snapped up as he heard something. Ruby's eyes shifted slightly and landed on a familiar figure. The one horse carriage was simple and old, but sturdy. The grey Wizard sitting on it was humming and singing quietly to himself as he brought his famous fireworks to the party.

" _The road goes ever on and on_

 _Down from the door where it began_

 _Now far ahead the road has gone_

 _And I must follow if I can..._ "

"You're late."

Gandalf stopped the carriage. His face could barely be seen under his big, pointed floppy hat. He slowly turned to look at Frodo.

"A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives _precisely_ when he means to." He looked at Frodo with a strict look that softened until they were both laughing. Frodo jumped onto the carriage and into Gandalf's arms.

"It's wonderful to see you, Gandalf!"

"You didn't think I'd miss your Uncle Bilbo's birthday?" Frodo sat beside Gandalf as they drove through Hobbiton. "So, how is the old rascal? I hear it's going to be a party of special magnificence."

"You know Bilbo. He's got the whole place in an uproar." Frodo answered.

"Well, that should please him." Gandalf chuckled. In the distance, the corner of Ruby's eyes crinkled with a small smile as the remembered the uptight Hobbit she once knew and how he had changed.

' _How we all changed_.' She thought gloomily, fiddling with a thin braid behind her ear.

"Half the Shire's been invited. And the rest of them are turning up anyway." They laughed at this as they passed the Hobbits hard at work in the fields. They crossed over a small stone bridge over a stream and into the little town square, making their way towards Bag End, passing through the little town of Hobbiton and observing the other Hobbits. Frodo seemed to be looking for someone.

"Isn't Ruby coming?" he asked. Gandalf looked sideways at him.

"I'm not sure." The Wizard answered. To be honest, the girl had been awfully absent these past seven decades, having made a home for herself in Fangorn Forest with the Ents. He decided to change the subject. "How is Bilbo?"

"To tell you the truth, Bilbo's been a bit odd lately. I mean, more than usual." Gandalf listened attentively, his face displaying concern. "He's taken to locking himself in his study. He spends hours and hours pouring over old maps when he thinks I'm not looking." Frodo paused, deep in thought. "He's up to something." Gandalf grunted and gave Frodo a sideways glance. Frodo looked back at him, waiting for him to answer. Gandalf just looked away, as if he didn't know anything. Ruby snorted on her branch. "All right, then. Keep your secrets."

"What?" the Wizard turned back to him.

"But I know you have something to do with it." The Hobbit accused.

"Good gracious me." Assuming a look of innocence, Gandalf tried to hide his smirk.

"Before you came along, we Bagginses were very well thought of."

"Indeed." Two bushy eyebrows shot up as the elder nodded.

"Never had any adventures or did anything unexpected." Frodo continued. Ruby raised her own eyebrow, remembering how dull her visits were, back when Bilbo was still a 'respectable Hobbit'.

"If you're referring to the incident with the Dragon, I was barely involved. All I did was...give your uncle a little nudge out of the door." Ruby snorted out a laugh.

"Whatever you did, you've been officially labeled a disturber of the peace."

"Oh, really?" the Wizard wasn't impressed. They drove past a Hobbit hole with a grumpy Hobbit working in the garden. He looked at Gandalf, turning even more grumpy, as if to confirm Frodo's words. Hobbit children ran after the carriage as soon as they spotted it.

"Gandalf! Gandalf!" they screamed at him, running down the grassy hills towards the carriage. "Fireworks, Gandalf! Gandalf! Fireworks, Gandalf!" they whined in disappointment as he drove along, wanting to save his wares for the party. There was no point in lighting fireworks in the middle of the day, where they could not be fully appreciated in the sunlight. Frodo looked up at him, judgingly.

Ruby narrowed her eyes at the Wizard and snapped her gaze to the back of the carriage, searching for one of the smaller tubes. Finding it and its fuse, she flicked her fingers, as if to rid it of a small piece of dirt, sending a tiny spark to her target. Suddenly, a blast of fireworks went off from the carriage. The Hobbit children clapped their hands and cheered. Even the grumpy Hobbit man laughed, a grumpy Hobbit woman coming out of their hole, giving him a disapproving look, successfully bringing the sour look back on his face again.

' _So she did come._ ' Gandalf chuckled to himself.

"Gandalf? I'm glad you're back." Frodo said and hopped off the carriage.

"So am I, dear boy!" he answered happily, then thoughtfully to himself. "So am I." He continued on his way to Bag End, when the softest of thuds was heard next to him, where Frodo had been sitting.

"You're a mean old bat, you know that?"

"Ah, Ruby. Nice to see you too." Gandalf turned to look at her. For those who did not know her well, she had not changed much. But for a father's keen eye, he saw so much had changed since that fateful day at the Lonely Mountain. She looked frail, tired and weak. Gandalf sighed as he took in her appearance.

"Not a word." It was as if she read his thoughts. Gandalf grumbled, but looked back at the road. They drove in silence until they arrived at Bag End, stopping at the gate. They mused at the sign that read 'no admittance, except on party business'. Gandalf walked up to the door and knocked on it with his staff. He noticed the marking he had made so many years ago was still there.

"No thank you! We don't want any more visitors, well-wishers or distant relations!" came an irritated yell from inside. Ruby snorted. That was more like Bilbo.

"And what about very old friends?" Gandalf called back.

"Gandalf? Ruby?" Bilbo asked in disbelief.

"Bilbo Baggins!" Gandalf smiled and knelt to the Hobbit's height.

"My dear Gandalf!" Bilbo hurried closer and hugged the Wizard.

"Good to see you. One hundred and eleven years old! Who would believe it?" he stood again.

Ruby bent her back forward and hugged Bilbo tightly, then holding him at arm's length, inspecting him as much as he was her.

"You haven't aged a day." She mused. Highly uncommon for a Hobbit.

Bilbo looked at her, seeing the same things Gandalf had, a sad smile on his face at her state. He shook himself mentally and ran inside, beckoning his guests in and holding the door open for them.

"Come on, come in! Welcome, welcome! Oh, here we are." He closed the door and took Gandalf's staff and hat from him, putting them in a corner as Ruby shed her hooded scarf and hung it on a peg. "Tea? Or maybe something a little stronger? I've got a few bottles of the Old Winyard left. 1296. Very good year. Almost as old as I am! Hahaha! It was laid down by my father. What say we open one, eh?" his voice became fainter as he disappeared further into the Hole.

"Just tea, thank you." Gandalf denied.

As Bilbo ran around the Hobbit Hole, Gandalf backed into the chandelier, quickly crouching lower and steadying it with his hands, before turning and bumping his head onto a beam. He rubbed his forehead, ignoring Ruby's sniggers and walked into Bilbo's study. He looked at the papers on the desk, a map of The Lonely Mountain among them. Ruby caught one glimpse of it and quickly turned away, head bent low. Bilbo continued to talk to them enthusiastically.

"I was expecting you sometime last week. Not that it matters. You come and go as you please. Always have done and always will. You caught me a bit unprepared, I'm afraid. We've got cold chicken and a bit of pickle…there's some cheese here. Oh no it won't do. We've got raspberry jam, an apple tart…But not much for afters–Oh, no, we're all right. I've just found some sponge cake. I could make you some eggs if you'd lik—oh. Gandalf? Ruby?" he looked around his study, looking for them.

"Just tea, thank you." Gandalf said from the kitchen, where Ruby was already making herself comfortable by the table.

"Oh, right. You don't mind if I eat, do you?" the Hobbit asked, already stuffing food into his mouth.

"No, not at all." Gandalf sat by Ruby.

"Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins!" sharp knocks were coming from the door, making Bilbo choke on his cake. He threw himself to the wall in a desperate attempt to hide.

"I'm not at home!" he whispered to them. He tiptoed over to the window in the study, taking a peek at who was outside. "It's the Sackville-Bagginses."

"I know you're in there!" came the voice from outside.

"They're after the house. They've never forgiven me for living this long. I've got to get away from these confounded relatives hanging on the bell all day, never giving me a moment's peace! I want to see mountains again. Mountains, Gandalf! And then find somewhere quiet where I can finish my book. Oh, tea!" he took the kettle off the fire with a towel.

"So you mean to go through with your plan, then." Gandalf asked.

"Yes, yes. It's all in hand. All the arrangements are made." Gandalf helpfully opened the lid on the pot. "Oh, thank you."

"Frodo suspects something."

"Of course he does. He's a Baggins! Not some block-headed Bracegirdle from Hardbottle." Bilbo replied proudly.

"You will tell him, won't you?" the Wizard asked, concerned for the boy.

"Yes, yes." The older Hobbit was dismissive.

"He's very fond of you." Ruby chimed in.

"I know. He'd probably come with me if I asked him." Bilbo had a faraway look on his face. "I think in his heart, Frodo's still in love with the Shire. The woods, the fields. Little rivers. I am old, friends. I know I don't look it, but I'm beginning to feel it in my heart." They saw him stick his hand in his pocket, fingering something inside. "I feel thin. Sort of stretched like butter scraped over too much bread. I need a holiday. A very long holiday. And I don't expect I shall return. In fact, I mean not to." Ruby nodded in understanding.


	2. Chapter 2

_I am so glad to see some of you are still accompanying Ruby in her adventures. Thank you all so much for your support! 3_

* * *

They all sat outside Bag End, Gandalf and Bilbo on the bench, Ruby in her usual place on the grassy roof with her back to the chimney, each with a pipe in their mouth. They were looking at the field where the party was to be held, the tents were set up and lanterns were lit as night approached.

"Old Toby. The finest weed in Southfarthing." Bilbo praised. He heard Ruby grumble. Even though it was unladylike to smoke, she did enjoy her pipe from time to time, but her choice of tobacco was far weaker and sweeter. Bilbo blew a ring of smoke. Gandalf smiled and blew a ship of smoke, sailing through the ring that Bilbo had made. Softer, lighter smoke swirled from Ruby's pipe up into the stars, until all smoke dissipated in the cool night air.

"My old friends, this will be a night to remember." Bilbo watched, amazed.

* * *

Gandalf was having fun, lighting fireworks and dancing with the Hobbits, sticking out like a sore thumb. Bilbo was sitting in front of a group of Hobbit children, telling one of his stories of his adventures. The children listened in apprehension.

"So there I was, at the mercy of three monstrous trolls! And they were all arguing amongst themselves about how they were going to cook us. Whether it be turned on a spit or whether they should sit on us one by one and squash us into jelly." Ruby listened from her seat by a table, simultaneously watching as Frodo pushed Sam towards a pretty Hobbit maiden. She smiled, half in amusement at Sam and half in sad memory of Bilbo's story. "They spent so much time arguing the withertos and the whyfors, that the sun's first light cracked over the top of the trees...poof!" The Hobbit children gasped and jumped a little. "And turned them all into stone!"

Ruby nursed her ale, watching the party over the rim of her mug. She was glad she came, but her long withdrawal from society had made her jumpy. Gandalf's fireworks were slowly getting on her nerves, and the loud music hurt her sensitive ears.

"Don't you want to dance some more, Frodo?" she asked the panting and sweating Hobbit as he gulped down his own ale. "You're quite popular with the Ladies." She saw many Hobbit maidens eyeing him.

"I'll keep you some company, Ruby, it's not like you're around often." He replied, though not without sending a saucy wink to the group of girls, making them giggle and blush.

"Actually, I think your uncle needs saving." She pointed to a distressed looking Bilbo, running from what seemed to be relatives. Frodo dropped his mug and scurried to the aid of his uncle. Ruby chuckled at them.

Suddenly, a loud explosion made her jump up, her hand disappearing under her shirt to grab one of her daggers. She looked up at foreign movement in the air and her heart skipped a beat as a tent exploded into bits and a large red dragon unfurled from the streak of fireworks. She knew it was just a magic trick, a pretty light from a cardboard tube, but her mouth became dry and her fists tightened as she saw the large wings spread open over the crowd and extinguish itself on the lake.

Memories hurled back into Ruby's mind, of a red fire wyvern, the one that had perished by a lake, so many decades ago, of her true nature, of her losses. A hand clapped down on her shoulder and she whirled around to look up at Gandalf. His soothing stare was filled with concern and she looked down at herself. Her skin was covered in millions of tiny scales, black as night, her nails lengthened to sharp claws, shining in the torchlight. She could see herself reflected in them, a black version of herself with glowing golden eyes. She closed her eyes and concentrated, willing herself to calm down. Slowly, her smooth scales disappeared under her skin, the pale girl back in view. Gandalf looked around, searching for the source of the disturbance. Making sure Ruby was fine, he hurried off.

Ruby helped set the tables again, and returned to her spot, pipe in hand and watched as Sam and Frodo returned with an extra ale for her. Frodo sat next to her as Sam sat in front of both friends. Ruby gratefully accepted the drink and they toasted, drinking deeply.

"Are you alright, Ruby?" Frodo did not know the details, but his uncle had told him enough of her story to realize she must have been shaken.

"I'm fine, Frodo, just a little shaken."

"Should you be drinking, milady?" Sam asked, concerned. Ruby knew most of the Shire was aware of what she was, but since no Hobbit aside from Bilbo had ever seen a Dragon, most of them either didn't believe Bilbo's stories, or didn't care that she was one. This was greatly appreciated by Ruby, who often found solace in Hobbiton.

"Sam, I've told you to call me by my name." She smiled at the chubby Hobbit.

"I'm sorry, milady, but you are a Queen. And a mighty Dragon. I should show respect." He nodded. Frodo laughed quietly into his mug.

"I was never crowned, and I have no intention to be anyone's Queen." She explained for the thousandth time. "And you don't have to be afraid of me, Sam." She added a little bit sadly. They were interrupted by the Hobbits asking for a speech from Bilbo.

"Speech!" Frodo chimed in.

Bilbo got up and bowed to the beckonings. He stepped up on a barrel under the great tree and opened his arms welcomingly, looking impressed at the large cake.

"My dear Bagginses and Boffins, Tooks and Brandybucks, Grubbs, Chubbs, Hornblowers, Bolgers, Bracegirdles and Proudfoots." Each family cheered as their names were called.

"Proudfeet!" a Proudfoot member called. Bilbo waved him off as everyone laughed.

"Today is my 111th birthday!" he declared. More cheers and calls of 'happy birthday!' ensued. "But alas, eleventy-one years is far too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable Hobbits." More cheers. "I don't know half of you half as well as I should like and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

The Hobbits seemed to not know how to take what Bilbo just said. They looked at each other in confusion. Ruby grinned over the rim of her mug and caught Gandalf's eye. Bilbo pulled something out of his pocket and fingered it behind his back. Gandalf watched closely, suspecting something. Frodo watched, his smile slowly vanishing. Ruby realized he must be one of the most intelligent Hobbits in the Shire. Everyone else was either too drunk or too dumb to realize something was about to happen.

"I, uh, I have things to do. I've put this off for far too long. I regret to announce this is the end! I am going now. I bid you all a very fond farewell." He looked at his nephew. "Goodbye."

The Hobbits gasped as Bilbo suddenly disappeared before their eyes, not knowing what to think. They turned to each other and started to whisper. Frodo watched in shock and Gandalf took his pipe from his mouth in surprise. Ruby felt a strange pulse of magic in the air. Not the strong flow of Gandalf's spells, nor the soothing caress of natural magic from the forests. No, this was something small, but powerful, and most certainly _not good_.

* * *

Ruby followed Frodo around the party as he looked for Bilbo. She had seen Gandalf slink off back to Bag End and tried to buy him time. Eventually, they hurried to Bag End, where Frodo stormed in, calling for his uncle. Frodo stepped on something cold and bent down to pick it up. It was a gold ring. Ruby eyed it warily. Something was not right.

"He's gone hasn't he? He talked for so long about leaving. I didn't think he'd really do it." Frodo walked over to Gandalf, the ring in his hand. Ruby circled him carefully. "Gandalf?"

"Hmm." The Wizard snapped out of his musings and saw the Ring in Frodo's hand. "Bilbo's Ring. He's gone to stay with the elves. He's left you Bag End…" he said, offering an open envelope to Frodo. "…along with all his possessions. The Ring is yours now. Put it somewhere out of sight." He warned, getting his hat and staff.

"Where are you going?" Frodo called. Ruby's eyes were starting to turn red. There was definitely something wrong.

"There are some things that I must see to." She watched the Wizard carefully, trying to understand.

"What things?" Frodo asked.

"Questions. Questions that need answering!"

"But you've only just arrived! I don't understand." The Hobbit whined.

"Neither do I. Keep it secret. Keep it safe." Gandalf turned to them, talking in a hushed tone. "Ruby?" he asked, knowing his former pupil and protégé would understand his request. She nodded in understanding.


	3. Chapter 3

_I did say I was going to keep true to the movie, but I might add some minor details from the book. Even if you haven't read it, you won't even notice the difference. For those of you who have, it might make a bit more sense, at least with the time-flow. Whatever you do not recognize, is the result of my mind messing up Tolkien's work._

* * *

 _Eighteen years later..._

Ruby sat by her usual table in a corner in the Green Dragon, a mug of ale to the side as she read and wrote back letters. Gandalf had been popping by every few months at first to check on Frodo and her, but she hadn't seen him in over ten years, and though the letters were plentiful, they lacked information, especially as to why she was here. She felt like she was supposed to be guarding Frodo, and that strange ring Bilbo had left behind. She suppressed a shudder at the mention of the piece of jewellery. She tried not to think back on it, knowing it was resting at the bottom of a chest, back in Bag End.

Ruby didn't mind living in the Shire, it was a nice change from Fangorn Forest, though she had sent a Moth with a message to the Ents explaining her absence. Every two or three years she would receive news from them, and would assure them of her safety. The letter currently in her hand was from Dwalin, and she had been rubbing her eyes in exhaustion from trying to decipher the chicken scratch he called handwriting when Merry and Pippin started singing.

" _Hey, ho, to the bottle I go_

 _to heal my heart and drown my woe._

 _Rain may fall and wind may blow_

 _but there still be… many miles to go._

 _Sweet is the sound of the pouring rain_

 _and the stream that falls from hill to plain._

 _Better than rain or a rippling brook…_ "

Frodo skipped around the table where they were singing and laughed along his friends as Pippin finished:

" _Is a mug of beer inside this Took!_ "

"There's been some strange folk crossing the Shire. Dwarves and others of a less than savoury nature." A hobbit was saying, seated by Sam, who was busy eyeing Rosie.

"War is brewing. The mountains are fair teeming with goblins." Gaffer muttered around his pipe.

"Far-off tales and children's stories, that's all that is. You're beginning to sound like that old Bilbo Baggins. Cracked he was."

"Young Mr. Frodo here, he's cracking." Gaffer said as Frodo approached them and distributed the mugs in his hands among them.

"And proud of it. Cheers, Gaffer."

"Cheers." They clunked their mugs together.

"Aye. Well it's none of our concern what goes on beyond our borders. Keep your nose out of trouble and no trouble'll come to you."

Frodo just smiled and drank his beer, locking gazes with Ruby, who was listening to their conversation from her corner. Every Hobbit in the Shire knew her by now, and believed Bilbo's stories a bit more since she had been helping keep the wolves at bay. Rarely did she turn, maybe two or three times in the eighteen years she had been here, and only to stretch her wings briefly under the cover of a moonless night. They knew to leave her alone in the evenings by the Green Dragon, where she liked to watch the Hobbits, listen to their songs and conversations, and answer her letters. When she was finished, she would sit by Frodo and Sam until last call, when the first rays of sunshine peeked over the hills, then return to Bag End, where she would often sleep until late in the afternoon, then patrol the borders until it was time for Supper at the Green Dragon again. The Hobbits found it radically strange that she only ate once a day, but she wasn't used to so much food, even after eighteen years among them.

She finally finished reading the runes on the piece of parchment from Dwalin, and took out her own blank piece of parchment, uncorked the pot of ink and pulled out a quill from her bag. She scolded Dwalin for his awful handwriting, and asked him to leave the letter writing to Balin, who was much more careful with a quill. She told him she missed them, but did not wish to visit Erebor again, not after what happened last time. She briefly looked up from her own Khuzdul Runes and let the memory wash over her.

* * *

She had been bored in Fangorn Forest and decided to pay Beorn a visit. The Skinchanger was ecstatic at her arrival, and they shared their knowledge about changing forms. Ruby even felt comfortable enough to show him her Dragon self after a few days. The Great Bear had been spooked at first, but approached her carefully to sniff at her leathery wing. They hunted together that night, and formed a deeper bond.

She figured that since she was already so near, she would send out a bird to Mirkwood to tell Thranduil of her visit. She had been welcomed warmly by the Elf King, despite his aversion for her kind. He insisted that she was the exception. Legolas was overjoyed to find her at the King's dining table at the end of the day when he came back from a patrol. His father had kept her coming a secret to surprise him. After the meal was eaten, Thranduil retreated to his chambers, leaving the two old friends to catch up. They talked until daybreak and Legolas decided to escort her to Erebor, if only to be there for her if the Dwarves were hostile, or if the memories were too much for her to bear.

Upon reaching the Lonely Mountain, the remaining members of Thorin's company greeted her with a luxurious feast, and even made an effort to include Legolas in their celebration. The whole Dwarven Kingdom was invited. Few didn't come in fear of the Dragon, some wanted to see the aberration, but most had appeared at the feast in awe and admiration towards Thorin's One, the One who cured his Gold Sickness, the One Dragon who did not covet their treasure, the One who had helped save their Kingdom. Dain (she refused to call him King) showered her with gifts and invitations to live in the Mountain, bidding her to become Captain of the Royal Guard, who called themselves the Onyx Scales, in her honour. She had refused, uttering these exact words:

"I was once the most valuable possession of the King under the Mountain. I was once his companion, his warrior, his friend, his Lady, his Queen, his One. And I failed him. I wasn't there when he died, and I could not follow. Thank you for the invitation, but I would make a poor captain of the Guard." She then told them she would be leaving in a few days. Balin had mentioned a statue in honour of Thorin, Fili and Kili, and invited Ruby to see it before her departure.

They descended to the ground level, Balin and Dwalin telling them how they had chosen the spot to symbolize that the line of Durin was protecting the entrance to the Mountain. The rest of the Company, Legolas, Dain and a few other noble Dwarves came along. As they approached, fire pits and torches could be seen lining the walls in the entrance hall. The floor was coated with gold, reminiscent of Thror's golden statue they had destroyed in order to try and defeat Smaug, and in the middle, Three great golden statues, bigger than Thror's, stood watching over the Main Gates, directly under the biggest stone bridge, arching over their heads.

Thorin had his legs spread in a firm defensive position, his oaken shield (actually made of oak) held up protectively over the entrance of the Kingdom, his sword, Orcrist (the original currently strapped to Legolas' hip) raised in defiance to whoever dared enter uninvited. Two sapphires, each as big as Ruby's head were lodged in his eye cavities. ' _They do him no justice_.' Ruby thought. Fili and Kili were both half a step behind him, charging at the entrance with their weapons drawn. Fili's dual blades seemed to be frozen in time as he twirled them playfully like he always would, the knives around his belt reminding her of their sparring sessions. Kili's bow was taut, an arrow nocked and aimed at any enemies. Their golden faces were pulled in brave, defying roars of battle. Ruby could almost hear them.

Balin pushed Ruby slightly to her left and something glittering caught her eye. She continued walking around the statues, until she froze in her steps, staring open-mouthed and wide-eyed at the heart shaped ruby in the rough in Thorin's left chest. It was as big as she was tall, and it was not polished or cut to look like a heart, it had come out of the Mountain's bosom like that, Dwalin explained. It was as if the Mountain itself was thanking her saviour. Two smaller rubies, about the size of her head, had been mined, and along with some larger riverstones, were added to the middle of Fili's and Kili's chests. An imitation of their pendants.

Ruby kept staring at the statues, wishing for them to come to life as tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

" _Fahvos drey hi lost wah lif zey_?" she whispered. " _Lost Zu'u ni hin vahzah Gein_?"

The Dwarves and Elf bowed their heads in respect for her mourning. A ripping sound made them look up again, and their eyes widened in a mixture of fear and wonder as Ruby's skin turned black, smooth, shiny scales covering her body as it stretched to a long and lithe wyvern, ripping her clothes as they grew too small for her. She was nowhere as large as Smaug had been, but from the tips of her snout to her tail she was easily 20 meters long, if not more. Dark leathery wings uncoiled from her flank and stretched wide as they boosted her serpentine body up. She reached the stone arch of the bridge above in one mighty leap. Her long, razor sharp claws shone like obsidian against the firelight as she started clawing at the grey stone. Slowly, lines and dots were etched into the side of the bridge, a large message in _Dovahzul_. None of the present understood what was written, but they stood quiet, watching her in horror and amazement.

When she finished, her body dropped from the bridge and coiled around the statues. She briefly nuzzled the Durin brothers, scratching smaller letters in _Dovahzul_ on their pendants, then wrapped her whole body around Thorin's statue. Her large horned head rested on his raised arm, looking at his golden face with her equally golden eyes. The salty wetness still dripped from them, and she let out a guttural whine. The wood his shield was made of started to smoke as the depths of her chest glowed brighter with Dragonfire, the red heat shining from between her scales in rhythm to her breathing. The Dwarves started to panic, but watched in awe as she lowered her head and breathed out a low, sultry purr against the ruby in front of her snout, the Dragonfire inside her seeping out her nostrils and entering the gem. When she pulled her head back to inspect her work, the ruby was filled with the deadly Dragonfire, pulsing to the beat of her own heart.

She nuzzled Thorin's face for a long moment, before throwing her head back and opening her jaws wide, a loud wail full of melancholy and pain echoing to the deepest halls of Erebor. She slowly lowered herself to the ground, turning back to her human form. Legolas ripped a tapestry from the wall next to him and stepped forward before she could finish transforming, and as soon as the familiar form stood naked in front of him, he wrapped her in the heavy tapestry before she could be exposed to the Dwarves' gaze.

He stood next to her, watching the rhythmic pulsing of the Dragonfire trapped inside the ruby. Slowly and cautiously, the Dwarves approached.

" _Naan paal wo yin wah haav fent ag voth fus do ton krein_." She pointed a pale arm to the markings she had made on the bridge in clear view of the entrance. "Any foe who dares to enter shall burn with the force of a thousand suns." She translated. As if to prove a point, the ruby pulsed harder and brighter for a second, then returning to its relaxed rhythm.

"Thank you, for this honour, _Baraz Kunzek_." Dain bowed his head, the other Dwarves followed.

"No." She did not look away from the statues. "Thank _you_." It was unclear if she was thanking them for the statues, or if she was thanking the spirits of the three Durins for their sacrifice. Even at their questioning she refused to tell them what she had written in Fili's and Kili's pendants, only saying that it was a private message to them.

She had left shortly after finding some clothes. Dain had insisted on dressing her with the richest gown he could find, but she chose a simple black dress with no gemstones or embroidery. A true mourning widow. The respect for her grew among the Dwarves, and she left with her head held high, Legolas trailing behind her in admiration of her actions. She stayed a few days with the Elves, but soon returned to her new home in Fangorn Forest, promising herself never to set foot in the halls of Erebor again.

* * *

Ruby shook her head to rid herself of the sight of the golden statues and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. She finished her letter, filling it with kind words and good news, hoping to appease the two brothers. Balin and Dwalin were always writing to her, concerned for her well being. She was, after all, in their eyes, still part of the family.

Pulling another piece of parchment to her after she sealed the letter in _Khuzdul_ , she rotated her wrist in the hopes of loosening her hand muscles. The harsh lines of _Khuzdul_ Runes was nothing compared to the soft curves of _Sindarin_ , and after a moment she started a letter to Legolas. Her dear friend was upset, for she had promised she would visit often, but she explained where she was and why, though she made no mention of the mysterious ring. She asked about his duties as crown prince, and if Mirkwood was finally free of Spiders. She shuddered at the memory. Finishing the letter with small news of the Shire and herself, she placed a dry leaf between the folds of the parchment before she sealed it.

The last letter was to Aragorn. She used whatever alias he was going by these days, and kept her messages in riddles. She knew he had teamed up with Gandalf to search for Gollum a few years ago, but she dared not ask for information over letters. Instead, she invited him to Bree, where they could share an ale somewhere Ruby wouldn't be too far from Hobbiton, and 'Strider' wouldn't have to enter the Shire. She filled the letter with loving words and asked for news of him, he rarely picked up a quill to write to her anymore.

It was nearly last call, so Ruby stood after putting her things away and sat by Sam and Frodo.

"All done for tonight, milady?" Sam asked merrily. She had given up on trying to make him call her by her name long ago.

"Yes, Sam, I'll send the letters off tomorrow." She accepted a fresh mug of ale and a plate of food from Rosie and ate her supper with the Hobbits, making light conversation. When it was finally time to leave, she followed the two out of the door, bidding Rosie goodnight.

"Good night, lads." The curly haired Hobbit smiled brightly at Sam.

"Good night." He blushed.

"Good night, sweet maiden of the Golden Ale." The Hobbit from before knelt by Rosie's feet and started serenading her.

"Boy, mind who you're sweet-talkin'." Sam mumbled.

"Don't worry, Sam. Rosie knows an idiot when she sees one." Frodo said, and Ruby sniggered at his words.

"Does she?" Sam stopped short and looked back at his crush.

"G'night, Sam." Frodo opened the gate to Bag End and pushed Sam towards his own house. He and Ruby climbed the steps to the green door as the Hobbit bid them goodnight. Ruby glanced at the open window. Had Frodo forgotten it?

"Ruby?" Frodo eyed the open window and the maps fluttering to the floor in the breeze. "Did you leave the window open?"

"No, I thou—"

Suddenly a hand gripped Frodo and whirled him around. Gandalf whispered frantically at them.

"Is it secret?! Is it safe?!"

Ruby sheathed her daggers and willed her skin back to its human form. As she closed the door and the window, then lit the fireplace, Frodo retrieved the ring as per Gandalf's request. As soon as he had it in his hand he tossed it into the fire.

"What are you doing?!" Frodo asked, alarmed. Gandalf ignored his question and pulled the ring out of the fire with a pair of tongs.

"Hold out your hand, Frodo." He pointed the ring at Frodo, who looked at him as if he were insane. "It's quite cool." Deciding to trust the Wizard, the Hobbit took the ring. "What can you see? Can you see anything?" Gandalf asked.

"Nothing. There's nothing." He turned the band in his fingers. Gandalf sighed in relief. Ruby was still tense by the window. "Wait. There are markings. It's some form of Elvish. I can't read it."

Ruby stiffened even further when she saw how Gandalf's eyes slowly closed as if in defeat.

"There are few who can. The language is that of Mordor, which I will not utter here." He explained.

"Mordor!" Frodo was bewildered.

"In the common tongue, it says: _'One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.'_ "

Ruby hissed and stared at the ring, her eyes slowly turning red. She followed the Wizard and Hobbit to the kitchen, where Frodo gingerly put the Ring on the table and bustled making tea. Ruby and Gandalf sat and stared at it with apprehension.

"This is the One Ring, forged by the Dark Lord Sauron in the fires of Mount Doom, taken by Isildur from the hand of Sauron himself."

"Bilbo found it. In Gollum's cave." Ruby nodded at Frodo's words and remembered the day he had been separated from Thorin's Company when they were taken by the Goblins.

"Yes. For 77 years, the Ring lay quiet in Bilbo's keeping, prolonging his life, delaying old age. But no longer, Frodo. Evil is stirring in Mordor. The Ring has awoken. It's heard it's master's call." Gandalf sipped his tea.

"But he was destroyed. Sauron was destroyed." Frodo argued. A whisper came from the Ring, and three pairs of eyes snapped to it.

"No, Frodo. The Spirit of Sauron endured. His life force is bound to the Ring, and the Ring survived. Sauron has returned. His Orcs have multiplied. His fortress of Barad-dûr is rebuilt in the land of Mordor. Sauron needs only this Ring to cover all the lands in a second darkness. He is seeking it. All his thought is bent on it. The Ring yearns above all else to return to the hand of its master. They are One, the Ring and the Dark Lord. Frodo, he must never find it." Gandalf explained urgently. Suddenly, Frodo grabbed the ring and stood.

"All right. We put it away. We keep it hidden. We never speak of it again. No one knows it's here, do they?" Realization slowly creeped over him as he turned around to look at Gandalf's silence. "Do they, Gandalf?"

"There is one other who knew that Bilbo had the Ring. I looked everywhere for the creature Gollum, but the enemy found him first. I don't know how long they tortured him. But amidst the endless screams and inane babble, they discerned two words. 'Shire' and 'Baggins'."

"Shire? Baggins? But that would lead them here!" Frodo started to panic. He thrust the Ring towards the Wizard. "Take it, Gandalf! Take it!"

"No, Frodo." He answered calmly.

"You must take it!" he insisted.

"You cannot offer me this Ring!" Gandalf was fighting against the pull of power, Ruby could sense it too. She held her breath as the Hobbit turned to her, stretching his hand over the table so she could take the Ring. She looked at it, and it seemed to shine an eerie cold in the candlelight.

"I'm giving it to you!" Frodo nearly screamed at her hesitation.

She could imagine the power she would wield with it. Albeit a mere hatchling, she was one of the few Dragons remaining, if not the only one in Middle Earth. She would lay Kingdoms to ruins, taking back Erebor for herself first, claiming her rightful title as Queen. With the power of the Ring she could bring back Thorin from the dead, maybe even his nephews. Nonsense, she wouldn't need them, she could heal herself and bear children again, maybe even from Legolas. It would be a grand opportunity, she would rule over Dwarves and Elves, then the weaker races such as Men would follow.

"Don't tempt us Frodo!" Gandalf shouted back, shaking Ruby from her dark thoughts. He then continued calmly as Frodo withdrew his hand. "I dare not take it. Not even to keep it safe. Understand, Frodo, I would use this Ring from a desire to do good, but through me, it would wield a power too great and terrible to imagine, even worse with Ruby." She looked shamefully away.

"But it cannot stay in the Shire!" Frodo was close to tears.

"No. No it can't." Ruby agreed.

"What must I do?" Frodo finally understood and clutched the Ring in his hand, bringing it to his chest.

"You must leave. And leave quickly." Gandalf helped him pack lightly and watched as Ruby disappeared into her room.

"Where? Where do I go?" Frodo asked.

"Get out of the Shire. Make for the village of Bree."

"Bree." He nodded, walking down the hall. "What about you?"

"I'll be waiting for you at the inn of the Prancing Pony."

"And the Ring will be safe there?"

"I don't know, Frodo. I don't have any answers. I must see the head of my order. He is both wise and powerful. Trust me, Frodo. He'll know what to do. You'll have to leave the name of Baggins behind you, for that name is not safe outside the Shire. Travel only by day."

"I can cut across country easily enough." He turned to Ruby as she came back, adjusting her shirt. "Can you take care of Bag End while I'm gone?"

"What are you talking about?" she lifted her shirt to show them her corset armour back in place, all the sheaths replenished with knives. "I'm coming with you." She dropped her shirt and wrapped her hooded scarf around her shoulders. "Living with Hobbits has made me fat. I don't remember this corset being so tight." She muttered. Gandalf chuckled, then turned to Frodo as she went to the kitchen to start packing her own provisions.

"My dear Frodo. Hobbits really are amazing creatures. You can learn all there is to know about their ways in a month. And yet, after a hundred years, they can still surprise you." Gandalf said endearingly. They heard a noise from the window, and Gandalf whispered to Frodo as Ruby swiftly stepped back into the living room. "Get down."

Frodo dropped to the floor and Gandalf took his staff, walking warily to the window. Ruby pulled out a dagger and crouched defensively over Frodo. A flower moved and Gandalf stabbed it with his staff. They hear a squeal of pain from below the plants. Gandalf lowered his hand into the bushes and thrust a body onto the table.

"Confound it all, Samwise Gamgee! Have you been eavesdropping?"

"I have been droppin' no eaves, sir, honest. I was just cutting the grass under the window there, if you follow me." Sam said nervously.

"A little late to be trimming the verge, don't you think?" Ruby stood upright and sheathed her dagger.

"I heard raised voices."

"What did you hear? Speak!" Gandalf was livid.

"N-n-nothin' important! That is, I heard a good deal about a Ring, a Dark Lord and something about the end of the world, but please Mr. Gandalf, sir, don't hurt me. Don't turn me into anything unnatural." The Hobbit flinched.

"No?" Gandalf smirked and looked up. Ruby rose an eyebrow in thought, then nodded. "Perhaps not. I've thought of a better use for you."

* * *

 _Translations:_

 _Fahvos drey hi lost wah lif zey? - Why did you have to leave me?_

 _Lost Zu'u ni hin vahzah Gein? - Was I not your true One?_

 _Naan paal wo yin wah haav fent ag voth fus do ton krein. - Any foe who dares to enter shall burn with the force of a thousand suns._

 _Baraz Kunzek - red stone - Ruby_


	4. Chapter 4

_Look at me, posting chapters like crazy! Can you hear the Gatling gun noises? Do you guys even know what a Gatling gun is?_

* * *

"Come along, Samwise. Keep up." Gandalf called. They had to wait for Sam to pack before they made their way to the outskirts of Hobbiton. Be careful, both of you." He told the Hobbits. "The enemy has many spies in his service: birds, beasts." He turned to Frodo. "Is it safe?" Frodo put his hand over his chest pocket. Never put it on, for the agents of the Dark Lord will be drawn to its power. Always remember, Frodo, the Ring is trying to get back to its master. It wants to be found." Gandalf warned. "Keep close to Ruby." He wrapped his arm around the girl and whispered something in her ear. She nodded and stepped away. They watched as Gandalf mounted his horse and raced off in another direction. Frodo and Sam looked around warily.

"Let's go." Ruby led the way through the trees. They walked on past cottages, waterfalls, meadows, and fields in comfortable silence, until they reached a cornfield where Sam abruptly stopped.

"This is it." Sam called. Frodo and Ruby stopped and looked back at him.

"This is what?" Frodo asked.

"If I take one more step, it'll be the farthest away from home I've ever been."

"C'mon, Sam." Sam hesitantly stepped forward. Frodo put his arm around him. "Remember what Bilbo used to say? 'It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.'" He recited. Ruby smiled and kept walking. She was glad Sam came along, it meant she wouldn't have to carry anything. When she travelled alone, her only provisions were her weapons and her hooded scarf. She always preferred to hunt fresh meat, and the elements were no longer a problem for her. She had mastered all of them in her exile, the Eagles having agreed to teach her the ways of the wind, as long as she was in her Dragon form. The Ents taught her so much more of the earth than Thranduil ever could, and she finished her studies in water and fire with Lord Elrond and Gandalf easily after.

As night began to fall, Ruby found them a comfortable spot to make camp. Sam was cooking some sausages and Frodo and Ruby were both perched on a tree, smoking their pipes. Soft music wafted over to them from between the trees and they looked over to its source.

"Sam." Frodo smiled. "Wood Elves." They rushed behind a log and hid as to not be seen as they watched the procession of Elves go down the path. Ruby recognized at least two of them from Thranduil's halls.

"They're going to the Harbor beyond the White Towers. To the Grey Havens." She explained.

"They're leaving Middle-earth." Sam gasped.

"Never to return." Frodo nodded.

"I don't know why it makes me sad." Sam said forlornly.

They ate in relative silence, thinking about the Elves, until they decided to settle down to sleep. Ruby kept watch over them as the Hobbits struggled to find a comfortable position on the earth.

"Everywhere I lie there's a dirty, great root stickin' into my back." Sam cursed.

"Just shut your eyes and imagine you're back in your own bed with a soft mattress and a lovely feather pillow." Frodo was almost asleep. The trick was working for him.

"It's not working, Mr. Frodo. I'm never going to be able to sleep out here."

"Me neither, Sam." Frodo smiled with his eyes still shut. Ruby sighed and rubbed her forehead. She shouldn't do this. They had to learn to endure the hardships of the earth. But still, a little bit of comfort couldn't hurt. She made soft moss grow under the Hobbits, and watched as they yelped in surprise. After they realized what had happened, they thanked Ruby and snuggled down, falling asleep almost immediately.

They had made good time today. Ruby was slowly building up the Hobbits' speed on the road, soon they would be able to match her normal pace. She stopped and turned to see Frodo lagging behind and slowed her pace. Maybe she was pushing it a bit too hard.

"Mr Frodo? Milady? Frodo? Frodo!" they heard Sam call desperately. They doubled back and looked at Sam confusedly.

"I thought I'd lost you."

"What are you talking about?" Frodo asked.

"It's just something Gandalf said." Sam bowed his head.

"What did he say?" Ruby asked.

"'Don't you lose him, Samwise Gamgee.' And I don't mean to." He quoted.

"Sam, we're still in the Shire. What could possibly happen?" Frodo laughed. As if on queue, they were bombarded by two other Hobbits running from inside the crop. Ruby watched amusedly as Merry and Pippin barrelled into Frodo and Sam.

"Frodo! Merry, it's Frodo Baggins!"

"Hello, Frodo!" Merry picked himself up from Sam. "Milady." He greeted Ruby.

"Get off 'im! Come on, Frodo." Sam pried Pippin form Frodo and helped him up. Ruby watched the two quickly pick up fallen vegetables.

"What's the meaning of this?" She asked as Sam was having his arms stuffed with cabbages.

"You've been into Farmer Maggot's crop!" Sam accused.

"You get back here! Get out of my field! You'll know the devil if I catch up with you!" they heard the angry farmer yelling, and his dogs barking. Merry shoved Frodo into the stalks, Pippin and Ruby hurriedly following. Sam stayed there in nervous indecision before dropping the vegetables and running right behind the others.

"I don't know why he's so upset! It's only a couple of carrots!" Merry said in his most innocent voice.

"And some cabbages. And those three bags of potatoes we lifted last week. And then the mushrooms the week before!" Pippin added, not so helpfully.

"Yes, Pippin! My point is, he's clearly over-reacting! Run!"

They reached the edge of a cliff and instantly stopped, staring at the rocky fall, but tumbled down as Sam collided behind them. The fall wasn't that big, but they still landed in a heap, full of scratches and Bruises. Pippin looked up from the ground, staring at the dung his face had almost gone into.

"Oh, that was close!"

"Oh, I think I've broken something." Merry groaned as they untangled themselves from each other. He pulled a broken carrot out from under his back.

"Trust a Brandybuck and a Took." Sam pulled himself up and brushed some dirt off his sleeves.

"What? That was just a detour. A shortcut." Merry defended.

"A shortcut to what?" Sam was sceptical.

"Mushrooms!" Pippin scrambled up and ran to the fleshy fungus growing by the side of the road.

"I think we should get off the road." Frodo said. Ruby was watching the mushroom-picking, but her head snapped around, looking at the Hobbit, then at the road. Her hearing was much more sensitive than the Hobbits' and she could distinctively make out the pounding of hooves and a screech. Recognizing the danger, she hissed at the Hobbits as she dragged Frodo to safety under a large tree root:

"Get off the road! Quick! Be quiet."

They heard hooves clop closer, then a rider dismounting. The four Hobbits and Ruby held their breath as the rider seemed to be sniffing at the air. Frodo's eyes rolled back, entranced. He pulled the Ring out from his pocket and fiddled with it. Before he could slip it on, Sam grabbed his wrist and the trance broke. Merry threw a backpack to the opposite side of the tree to distract the rider and they all rushed away.

"What was that?" Merry asked when they finally stopped to breathe. Ruby looked at him but did not answer. She had hoped they could reach Bree without much incident. They continued through the forest in a brisk pace until darkness fell, Ruby scouting ahead.

"Anything?" Sam asked.

"Nothing." Frodo looked around a tree.

"What is going on?" Pippin was tired and confused.

"That Black Rider was looking for something. Or someone. Frodo?" Ruby almost smirked. Merry had always been the smarter of the two pranksters.

"Get down!" Pippin called as a rider appeared on the hill.

"I have to leave the Shire. Ruby, Sam and I must get to Bree." Frodo explained.

"Right." Merry thought for a while. "Buckleberry Ferry. Follow me."

They started to run for the Ferry, when a Nazgûl suddenly appeared from behind some bushes. The Hobbits scattered, Sam, Merry and Pippin running for the Ferry, with Frodo and Ruby left behind. Ruby managed to evade the Nazgûl and pulled Frodo along, heading for the Ferry.

"Frodo! Ruby!" Sam called as they approached, a Nazgûl chasing them.

"Run!" they called from the ferry.

"Go!" Ruby shouted. They kicked off the shore, anxiously waiting for the two.

"Hurry!"

"Frodo!" Sam watched as Ruby practically dragged him along, her long legs were faster.

"Jump Frodo! Go on faster! Jump!"

Ruby launched herself off the shore onto the ferry, Frodo safely in her grip. They landed on a heap of Hobbits, panting and rowing away to safety. The Nazgûl's horse slid to a stop just on the edge, nearly falling into the water, then turning and riding off, another two following. They screeched in defeat.

"How far to the nearest crossing?" Frodo asked.

"Brandywine Bridge: Twenty miles." Merry answered. Ruby took the paddle and used her powers to speed up the current around them.

* * *

Finally arriving at Bree, they knocked at the gate. The keeper at first opened the little window on the top, but seeing only half a head poking through his view, closed it and opened the lower window.

"What do you want?" he asked, grumpily.

"We're heading for the Prancing Pony." Frodo said. They shivered in the rain.

"Hobbits! Four Hobbits! And a Lady! What business brings you to Bree?" he studied them.

"We wish to stay at the inn. Our business is our own." Ruby almost growled at him.

"Alright milady, I meant no offense. It's my job to ask question after nightfall. There's talk of strange folk abroad. Can't be too careful." He opened the door for them and Ruby ushered the Hobbits inside before her.

Ruby pulled the Hobbits from the street as they were almost run down by a carriage. Hobbits mostly kept to themselves in the Shire, and for good reason. The 'Big Folk' had no respect, and would trample them down without even noticing it. They finally arrived at the Prancing Pony, the Hobbits shedding their wet cloaks and following Ruby to the bar.

"Excuse me?" Frodo called. The innkeeper turned and spotted them.

"Good evening, milady, little masters! If you're seeking accommodations, we've got some nice, cozy, Hobbit-sized rooms available. Mr. Uh…"

"…Underhill, my name's Underhill."

"Underhill. Yes." Butterbur didn't seem convinced.

"We're friends of Gandalf the Grey. Can you tell him we've arrived?" Frodo added hopefully.

"Gandalf? Gandalf? Ohh yes! I remember, elderly chap, big gray beard, pointy hat." The Hobbits all nodded. "Not seen him for six months."

"What do we do now?" Sam asked.


	5. Chapter 5

_Finally, Aragorn appears!_

* * *

Ruby had ushered the Hobbits to a table, secured a room for them and was currently brooding over her mug, her eyes roaming the tavern. The hobbits were nursing their own ales, concerned looks on their faces.

"Sam. He'll be here. He'll come." Frodo assured his gardener.

"What's that?" Pippin asked as Merry came back with a larger mug in his hands.

"This my friend, is a pint." Merry licked his lips.

"It comes in pints?" Pippin asked disbelievingly. An unintelligible noise came from the other Hobbit, whose face was buried in beer foam. Pippin must have understood, because he stood and declared: "I'm getting one."

"You had a whole half already!" Sam argued after him. No one paid him any mind, and he merely shrugged and went back to looking around the bar. He nudged Frodo and nodded to a certain direction. "That fellow's done nothin' but stare at you since we arrived." Ruby's eyes snapped to the darker corner of the tavern and landed on a hooded man smoking a pipe.

"Excuse me," Frodo stopped the barliman as he walked by. "that man in the corner, who is he?"

"He's one of them rangers. Dangerous folk they are, wandering in the wild. What his right name is I've never heard but around here, he's known as 'Strider'." The fat man answered.

"Strider…" Ruby muttered as the beginnings of a smirk were pulling at her lips. The man seemed to hear her whisper and he puffed at his pipe, the red glow illuminating his eyes, much as she had done all those decades ago on Bilbo's roof the first time she saw Thorin. Without another word she stood and made her way to him, ignoring the Hobbits' cries. She set her mug next to his and stood akimbo. "Would it have killed you to answer a letter?"

"As a matter of fact, yes." The man answered.

They stared at each other for a while, then laughed. Ruby sat next to him and they clunked their mugs together, drinking deeply.

"So...Strider." Ruby smirked. The man looked sideways at her, then back at the Hobbits. "Care to tell me why you're staring at my charges?"

"They're to be my charges." He answered simply.

"And you're not going over there to introduce yourself because...?"

"I received a message from Gandalf. He told me that if he could not make it to Bree unti—"

Strider stopped talking the same moment Ruby stopped paying attention. Something was wrong. Strider had seen Frodo disappear in front of his eyes after he had tripped, and Ruby, who was looking at the man next to her felt a strange, dark disturbance in the air. She looked around for Frodo, but even her keen sight could not see him. She and Strider both sat up straighter so suddenly, one might mistake them for cats who had caught sight of something shiny.

Ruby stood, followed by Strider, and they paced the tavern in search for the missing Hobbit. A moment later, Ruby's arm was grabbed by Sam.

"He took him, milady!" Merry was holding a candlestick, Pippin a bar stool and Sam looked like he was ready for a fistfight. Ruby let them lead her upstairs, where she took the lead and followed the familiar voices to a room. She didn't even bother to knock. Opening it wide, she saw a frightened Frodo by the fire and Strider by the window, the candles smoking after being snuffed out.

"Let him go, or I'll have you, Longshanks!" Sam held up his fists. Ruby scoffed at the sword being pointed at her and merely walked past the man to go check on Frodo.

"You have a stout heart little Hobbit, but that will not save you." Strider sheathed his sword. "You can no longer wait for the Wizard, Frodo. They are coming."

* * *

Ruby was perching precariously on the roof of the inn, sopping wet. Her eyes were trained on the gates of Bree. Her ears could hear the Wraiths long before they reached the town, but the rain made it difficult for her to know exactly where they were. After a few tense moments, she observed the sentry at the gate being trampled. The Wraiths rode through Bree, pulling with them a cold mist. Ruby flattened herself on the roof and watched as they entered the Prancing Pony. Concentrating on their footsteps, she heard as they reached the room Butterbur had given them.

After a few seconds, heavy with silence, shrieks and neighs filled the night air. Ruby smirked. Their plan had worked. The Wraiths were riding furiously out of town.

* * *

"What are they?" Frodo asked Strider. He could not sleep as soundly as the other Hobbits.

"They were once Men." The Ranger answered from the window. "Great Kings of Men. Then Sauron the Deceiver gave to them nine Rings of Power. Blinded by their greed, they took them without question, one by one falling into darkness. Now they are slaves to his will." He watched as they rode away. "They are the Nazgûl, Ringwraiths, neither living nor dead. At all times they feel the presence of the Ring, drawn to the power of the One. They will never stop hunting you."

The door opened softly to let a dripping figure inside. Ruby shed her cloak and hung it by the fire. Frodo lay back to try and sleep now that danger had passed. Strider cast one last look out the window and joined Ruby on the floor in front of the fire. She had wringed out her hair before she entered the room, but it still dripped. She concentrated, and made the water from her clothes gather in an airborne stream and fall into the basin at the corner of the room. Strider studied her. Black clothing, worn, but now dry covered her frame. It seemed frail and thinner since the last time he had seen her. He knew not to comment, so he spread their bedrolls next to each other.

" _Zu'u lost staavek hi, Mal Jun_." Ruby wrapped her arms around the Man as he lay his head on her shoulder.

" _Zu'u los ni ful mal nidzuk_." He chuckled. Ruby smiled and stroked his hair. He still wouldn't comb it properly, and her fingers caught in the knots.

" _Geh, hi los, dii hes yunkliin_." She kissed his head and rested her head back, closing her eyes. " _Laag. Strah amvit do mii los lingrah. Strin hin miin ahrk hahnu do qobo ven ahrk baar lok_."

* * *

They had set off early after a hasty, but hearty breakfast. Strider was leading Bill, the Pony, as they walked over hills and through woods. He and Ruby were pushing the Hobbits to their limits, though neither was satisfied with their speed.

"Where are you taking us?" Frodo asked anxiously after a few hours.

"Into the Wild." Strider was becoming increasingly nervous at their slow pace. He turned around a tree, observing the moss and smelling the air, leading the rest on.

"How do we know this Strider is a friend of Gandalf?" Merry whispered to Frodo, not knowing Strider and Ruby could clearly hear him.

"I think a servant of the enemy would look fairer and feel fouler." Frodo answered.

"He's foul enough." Merry muttered. Ruby looked slightly back at Strider, a smirk pulling at her lips.

"We have no choice but to trust him." Frodo sighed.

"But where is he leading us?" Sam was not satisfied with the answer Strider had given them.

"To Rivendell, Master Gamgee. To the House of Elrond." The Man had had enough of their whispering.

"Did you hear that? Rivendell! We're going to see the Elves." Sam was now not only breathless from the quick walk, but of excitement. That seemed to speed them up a little.

* * *

 _Translations:_

 _Zu'u lost staavek hi, Mal Jun. - I have missed you, Little King._

 _Zu'u los ni ful mal nidzuk. - I am not so little anymore._

 _Geh, hi los, dii hes yunkliin. - Yes, you are, my sweet hatchling._

 _Laag. Strah amvit do mii los lingrah. Strin hin miin ahrk hahnu do qobo ven ahrk baar lok. - Sleep. The road ahead of us is long. Close your eyes and dream of swift winds and clear skies._


	6. Chapter 6

_Get ready for some Dovahzul and Sindarin overdose. No, I'm not sorry you have to scroll all the way down to the translations._

* * *

After trying to keep dry from the snow, walking through a clearing atop a hill, then into a snowy wooded area, Strider decided to look around as Ruby scouted ahead and the Hobbits congregated around Bill, unloading pots and pans.

"Gentlemen, we do not stop until nightfall." He said as Ruby appeared halfway to the horizon and signalled for them to come.

"What about breakfast?!" Pippin asked.

"You've already had it." The Ranger responded, confused.

"We've had one, yes." The Hobbit answered matter-of-factly. "What about second breakfast?"

Strider merely turned back around and walked away.

"Don't think he knows about second breakfast, Pip." Merry sighed.

"What about Elevensies?" there was a slight note of panic in Pippn's voice. "Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? He knows about them, doesn't he?"

"I wouldn't count on it." Merry shouldered his pack and followed the Ranger.

An apple flew from over a treetop into Merry's hands, who pat Pippin on the shoulder as another apple flew over and hit Pippin on the head. Pippin looked confusedly at the sky.

"Pippin!" sometimes Merry got annoyed at the sheer stupidity of his cousin.

As Strider approached Ruby's waiting form, she glanced sideways at his annoyed face.

"What?" she asked.

"Second breakfast?" the Man raised an eyebrow. She merely smirked and sprinted forward for the next bit of scouting, while he was left to watch over the noisy Halflings.

They walked through to the edge of the snowy forest, and were soon sloshing through a messy bog, brushing bugs away from their faces.

"What do they eat when they can't get Hobbit?" Merry asked, slapping at his own cheeks. Pippin fell face first into the water for the umpteenth time, but Ruby was pleased to hear a minimum of grumbling as they pressed on.

When they decided to make camp at a drier patch of mud, Strider went off to hunt their dinner and let off some steam. Ruby stayed behind and helped set up camp. She willed the water away from their clothes and sleeping area, and raised the level of the earth a little, evening it out and cleaning it of general debris, like rocks and sticks. A lush fire was built in the centre, and soft moss made up beds for all of them. The Hobbits were very grateful for the provided comfort, and let themselves relax until the Ranger came back with a deer on his shoulder.

Sam had cooked a hearty stew, and the Hobbits ate their fill, though Ruby doubted they were satisfied. She and Strider stood watch, one on each side of the camp, smoking their pipes. Ruby started humming, and the Man soon sang quietly into the night:

" _Tinúviel elvanui_

 _Elleth alfirin edhelhael_

 _O hon ring finnil fuinui_

 _A renc gelebrin thiliol_ "

"Who is she?" Frodo was awake. Strider whirled his head around and stared at the Hobbit. He was not paying attention to his surroundings and had failed to keep watch. Ruby chuckled as if she knew. Frodo knew a little Sindarin, so he asked: "This woman you sing of."

"'Tis the lady of _Luthien_. The Elf-maiden who gave her love to Beren, a mortal." He explained.

"What happened to her?"

"...She died." Frodo could sense that this was a delicate subject, and the song had deep meaning to the Man. "Get some sleep, Frodo."

" _Hi fend ni uful do grik truk._ " Ruby muttered, turning to look at him, her tone soothing.

" _Zu'u mindok. Nuz Zu'u dreh ful naanven._ " He sighed.

" _Dumedak grik ol reyliik los lovuneh do nizraadom fod nii meyz wah trun do hil._ " Ruby said, a sad smile on her face. " _Zu'u fend mindok._ "

" _Hi los onik miil, monah._ _Nox hi fah hin rot._ " He returned the same sad smile. Ruby felt a shiver down her spine every time he called her 'mother'. They had talked about it before, and Aragorn had explained that even though it was not his mother's fault that she was always so sick and could not take care of him, he had always considered Ruby more of a mother figure. Ruby had cried rivers at the confession and told him about her inability to produce children. Their bond had deepened that day, and from then on, they never kept anything from each other.

" _Laag, kiir. Zu'u fen dein lingraav._ " She watched as he nodded and lay on his bed of moss. Ruby turned back to watch the Wild, a low tune in her throat.

* * *

Ruby had once again gone ahead to scout. Aragorn started forward as she signalled their safety.

"This was the great watchtower of Amon Sûl." He explained to the Hobbits. "We shall rest here tonight." After they had climbed the tricky steps, the Hobbits sat down, weary, then Strider tossed them each a sword. Old, rusty, but sharp enough. "These are for you. Keep them close. I'm going to have a look around. Stay here." He left to go find Ruby.

She was perching on an arch, in her dragon form, looking to the distance. Aragorn started and went for his sword before he recognized her. A low gurgling sound came from her throat as she turned her head to him. He imagined it was her laugh as a _Dovah_.

" _Faas ni, Mal Jun, Zu'u los gelingrah mal_." She turned her head back to the horizon, her gold orbs gazing into the distance. " _Zu'u fund uful zuk do faal Gaaf rim nau mii_."

" _Vir gut hond los nust?_ " Aragorn was alert at once.

" _Waan mu nok lum ahrk stiildus, nust uld rahn naal mii ni mindok dahvulon_." She slithered back to the ground, a low hiss the only sound she made. Aragorn watched as she transformed back, and as soon as she was recognisable as a naked Woman, he turned away respectfully for her to step into her clothes. They planned for scouting points and defensive strategies from their location as night fell.

Ruby was chewing a piece of lembas bread, wishing it were fresh meat. She and Strider were pacing and resting alternatively, keeping sharp eyes and ears out. The Hobbit's voices could be heard rising in an argument, and soon a Nazgûl screech pierced the darkness, alarming them. Ruby cursed lowly as Aragorn shed his cloak for easier movement and prepared for what was to come.

Strider followed the sounds to where the Hobbits were being attacked by the Wraiths. Suddenly, Frodo appeared screaming behind Strider, who was fighting off what seemed to be the leader of the Wraiths. Ruby willed her skin to its _Dovah_ form, but remained in human form, just in time to be left unscratched as a sword hit her side. Her shirt ripped, but her flesh was intact under her armour of scales. She looked at the damage done to her corset and two of her knives and growled at the Wraiths, her eyes shining red in their own light. She and Strider fought off the Wraiths fairly quickly, but remained pacing the area until they were sure to be rid of them.

"Ruby! Strider! Help him." Sam was over Frodo, who was still agonizing on the floor.

"He's been stabbed by a Morgul blade." The Man picked up said blade and watched as it vanished in his hand. "This is beyond my skill to heal. He needs Elvish medicine." He proceeded to throw the Halfling over his shoulder and lead the Hobbits away from Weathertop. "Hurry!" he called back. Ruby was bringing up the rear, ushering the Hobbits.

"We are six days from Rivendell. He'll never make it!" Sam called, panicked.

"Hush, Sam. Keep going." Ruby looked back to make sure they weren't being followed.

"Gandalf…" Frodo called. He was starting to become delirious.

"Hold on Frodo." Strider whispered into the wind.

"Gandalf!" the Hobbit yelled louder in pain.

* * *

They reached a clearing, where they stopped to catch their breath.

"Look , Frodo. It's Mr. Bilbo's trolls." Sam tried to take his friend's mind off the pain. Three stone Trolls stood in the overgrown clearing, their arms raised against past sunlight. Ruby faltered a moment as the memories washed over her. It was as if she could hear them, as clear as the day they had been in this very spot.

 _"_ _We don't have parasites! You have parasites!"_

 _"_ _Don't bother cooking them. Let's just sit on them and squash them into jelly."_

 _"_ _We're riddled."_

 _"_ _No thanks to your burglar."_

 _"_ _In—in fact they all have, they're in—infested with parasites. It's a terrible business; I wouldn't risk it, I really wouldn't."_

 _"_ _What are you doing, woman?"_

 _"_ _Mine are the biggest parasites, I've got huge parasites!"_

 _"_ _He's lying."_

 _"_ _No I'm not!"_

 _"_ _The dawn will take you all!"_

 _"_ _Hold his toes over the fire. Make him squeal."_

 _"_ _I said, drop him."_

 _"_ _Lay down your arms, or we'll rip theirs off."_

 _"_ _I've got parasites as big as my arm."_

 _"_ _Can we eat `im too?"_

Their voices became louder and louder in her head, talking over each other until it was one great cacophony only she could hear, the ghost of her past haunting her between the tall grass.

"Ruby!" Strider called for what seemed like the tenth time. Her eyes were starting to become red, her breathing laboured and her body language screamed danger. She snapped out of her memories and seemed to compose herself enough to see that Frodo was sweating horrifically, his eyes going pale, wheezing and gasping.

"Mr Frodo?" Sam felt his forehead and looked up to Strider. "He's goin' cold!"

"Is he going to die?" Pippin asked.

"He's passing into the shadow world. He will soon become a wraith like them." Ruby explained. Frodo gasped as a Nazgûl cry was heard from the distance.

"They're close." Merry didn't even tremble, though his voice showed concern.

"Sam, do you know the Athelas plant?" Strider asked the gardener.

"Athelas?" a confused frown was on the round face.

"Kingsfoil." Ruby added helpfully.

"Kingsfoil? Aye, that's a weed." Sam's confusion grew. Why were they talking of plants?

"It may help to slow the poison." Strider explained. "Hurry!"

Ruby stayed behind with the Hobbits and sharpened her senses. Soon, a horse came galloping, and she turned to see and old friend.

"Frodo… _Im Arwen. Telin le thaed._ _Lasto beth nin. Tolo dan na galad._ " Arwen drew closer with a small smile in greeting to Ruby.

"Who is she?" Merry whispered

"She's an elf." Sam was dumbfounded.

"He's fading!" Arwen whispered anxiously as Strider started tending to the wound. "He's not going to last. We must get him to my father. I've been looking for you for two days."

"Where are you taking him?" Merry asked as the Ranger hoisted Frodo on the saddle.

"There are five wraiths behind you. Where the other four are, I do not know." Arwen told Ruby, who was discarding her pack on Bill the Pony.

" _Dartho guin Perian. Rych le ad tolthathon._ " Strider made to mount, but Arwen put her hand on his forearm.

" _Hon mabathon. Rochon ellint im._ " She argued.

" _Andelu i ven._ " The Man's frown deepened.

"What are they saying?" Pippin asked Ruby as she adjusted her boots.

 _"_ _Frodo fir. Ae athradon i hir, tur gwaith nin beriatha hon."_ Arwen would hear no more. She looked deep into the Ranger's eyes and continued in the common tongue. "I do not fear them."

" _Be iest lin_." He was not happy. Turning to Ruby, he saw her step closer, her pack stashed away with the Pony. "Where are you going?"

"With her." Ruby answered matter-of-factly. "I think you can take care of three Hobbits and a Pony." She reached up and pat his cheek tenderly. " _Kos tirahk, Mal Jun._ " Arwen mounted her horse, Asfaloth with Frodo seated in front of her. Ruby entered the mount's line of sight and stroked its face, letting him know her scent.

"Arwen! Ride hard. Don't look back!" Aragorn was concerned, but he knew she was capable of taking care of herself. And Ruby was with her.

" _Noro lim, Asfaloth, noro lim!_ " she whispered to the animal and it rode away, Ruby running after them.

"What are you doing?!" Ruby could hear Sam's outrage. "Those wraiths are still out there!"

* * *

Arwen rode well into the morning, Ruby's swift legs accompanying them easily, before Ruby's head snapped to the side when she heard the beating of hooves behind them. The Nazgûl appeared, one by one, amongst the trees and over open spaces they rode, circling them.

" _Noro lim Asfaloth!_ " Arwen led her mount in zigzag through the trees, she was close to the river now, close to home. "Ruby?" she called, afraid to look back and lose control of Asfaloth. She heard the other answer from her left.

"Keep going!"

Arwen reached the Ford, and stopped on the other side she could not lead them into Rivendell. The Nazgûl steeds stopped before touching the water, clearly not wanting to enter the River. Some pranced around, and cried out in fear. Ruby was panting heavily next to Arwen. One of the Nazgúl turned towards them.

"Give up the Halfling, she-elf!"

"If you want him," the Elleth drew her sword. "come and claim him!" The Nazgûl raised their swords and rode into the water. Arwen began to chant. " _Nin o Chithaeglir, lasto beth daer, Rimmo nin Bruinen dan in Ulair! Nin o Chithaeglir, lasto beth daer, Rimmo nin Bruinen dan in Ulair!_ "

Slowly, the water level began to rise. Ruby caught on to her plan and concentrated in the water, rather than on her aching legs. A great sound could be heard, and everyone turned towards it. A great flood came around a bend, with peaks like horses galloping. The Nazgûl tried to get away, some trying to get back to the bank and some fleeing down the river, but in vain. The flood washed them all away. Ruby and Arwen looked after them, when Frodo started to fall from Asfaloth. Arwen dismounted and lay him on the ground.

"No! Frodo. No! Frodo, don't give in! Not now!" Arwen started to weep and embraced Frodo. Ruby stood there, helpless. Her healing skills were useless to this situation. Suddenly, Arwen's voice could be heard everywhere, as if coming from the air itself. ' _What grace is given me, let it pass to him…Let him be spared…Save him._ '

As if on cue, a group of Rivendell guards appeared and escorted them back to the city. Ruby stood by Arwen as Lord Elrond was called and they rushed Frodo into the healing chambers.

" _Lasto beth nin. Tolo dan nan galad._ " He chanted over Frodo. Ruby stood with great difficulty, the muscles in her legs twitching and burning.

"Come, _Mîruin_. We have done our part. Let us wait for the others." Arwen walked with her, slowing her pace for Ruby's sake. They reached the hallway that led to Ruby's old room, and they parted ways, both deep in their own thoughts.

"My Lady _Mîruin_." A voice shook Ruby from her concerns.

"Lindir." She forced a smile on her face.

"We were not expecting you for another five days, my Lady."

"We?"

"Hello, my dear." A raspy voice called. Ruby turned her head to see Gandalf approaching. "Lindir, my good fellow, will you not call the maids to draw this poor girl a bath?"

"Of course. Excuse me, my Lady _Mîruin_ , _Mithrandir_." He left the hallway as Ruby and Gandalf entered her room. Ruby unceremoniously collapsed on a chair, her legs sprawled and twitching before her. Gandalf chuckled and stood by her.

"Will you not give your seat to an old, frail Wizard?" he jested. Ruby merely whined at him. He chuckled and started fixing his pipe as the maids quickly filled her bathtub with hot water and pulled a screen in front of it. Ruby grunted, and with much effort, she pulled herself up from her plopped induced seating arrangement and stretched, walking behind the screen. Gandalf took her seat and puffed away at his pipe.

"Where were you?" Ruby asked as she peeled off her sweaty clothes and sank into the heat.

"Hm..." Gandalf started muttering under his breath. Ruby knew not to disturb him, so she merely let the hot water soothe her muscles and scrubbed at her skin with a soft cloth. She paid attention to the muddled words that escaped the Wizard's mouth and pieced up an explanation of her own. She frowned. She never really liked Saruman, but this really came as a surprise. As she listened to the old bat's mumblings, she stepped out of the bath and changed into large silk trousers and shirt, not bothering to dry herself. She walked over to the bed and let herself fall facefirst onto the mattress.

She was out long before Gandalf snapped out of his self induced trance.

* * *

 _Translations:_

 _Tinúviel elvanui Elleth alfirin edhelhael O hon ring finnil fuinui A renc gelebrin thiliol - Tinúviel the elven-fair, Immortal maiden elven-wise, About him cast her shadowy hair And arms like silver glimmering._

 _Hi fend ni uful do grik truk. - You should not worry about such things._

 _Zu'u mindok. Nuz Zu'u dreh ful naanven. - I know. But I do so anyway._

 _Dumedak grik ol reyliik los lovuneh do nizraadom fod nii meyz wah trun do hil. - Differences such as race are seldom of importance when it comes to the matters of the heart._

 _Zu'u fend mindok. - I should know._

 _Hi los onik miil, monah. Nox hi fah hin rot. - You are a wise woman, mother. Thank you for your words._

 _Laag, kiir. Zu'u fen dein lingraav. - Sleep, child. I will keep watch._

 _Faas ni, Mal Jun, Zu'u los gelingrah mal. - Fear not, Little King, I am just stretching a little._

 _Zu'u fund uful zuk do faal Gaaf rim nau mii. - I would worry more about the Wraiths gaining on us._

 _Vir gut hond los nust? - How far away are they?_

 _Waan mu nok lum ahrk stiildus, nust uld rahn naal mii ni mindok dahvulon. - If we lay low and quiet, they might pass by us unknowingly tonight._

 _Im Arwen. Telin le thaed. Lasto beth nin. Tolo dan na galad. - I am Arwen. I have come to help you. Hear my voice. Come back to the light_

 _Dartho guin Perian. Rych le ad tolthathon. - Stay with the Hobbits. I will send horses again for you._

 _Hon mabathon. Rochon ellint im. - I'm the faster rider. I'll take him._

 _Andelu i ven. - The road is too dangerous._

 _Frodo fir. Ae athradon i hir, tur gwaith nin beriatha hon. - Frodo dies. If I can get across the river, the power of my people will protect him._

 _Be iest lin. - According to your wish._

 _Kos tirahk, Mal Jun. - Be safe, little king._

 _Noro lim, Asfaloth! - Ride fast, Asfaloth!_

 _Nin o Chithaeglir, lasto beth daer, Rimmo nin Bruinen dan in Ulair! Nin o Chithaeglir, lasto beth daer, Rimmo nin Bruinen dan in Ulair! - Waters of the Misty Mountains listen to the great word; flow waters of Loudwater against the Ringwraiths!_

 _Lasto beth nin. Tolo dan nan galad. - Hear my voice, come back to the light._

 _Mîruin - Ruby (adaptation)_


	7. Chapter 7

_All this rapid-fire posting is my way of apologizing for the lack of updates at the end of 'An Unexpected Guest'. Don't get too used to it, I make no promises._

* * *

Ruby watched from the window as Sam packed his bags.

"Now what have I forgotten?" he muttered to himself.

"Packed already?" Frodo appeared behind him.

"No harm in being prepared." Came the sheepish reply.

"I thought you wanted to see the elves, Sam."

"I do!"

"More than anything."

"I did! It's just…we did what Gandalf wanted didn't we? We got the Ring this far to Rivendell, and I thought, seeing as how you're on the mend, we'd be off soon. Off home." He looked hopefully at Frodo. After a moment, the dark haired Hobbit answered.

"You're right Sam. We did what we set out to do." He held the Ring in his palm. "The Ring will be safe in Rivendell. I am ready to go home."

"His strength returns." Lord Elrond commented.

"That wound will never fully heal." Gandalf shook his head. "He will carry it the rest of his life."

"And yet to have come so far, still bearing the Ring, the Hobbit has shown extraordinary resilience to its evil." It was like the Elf Lord had no faith in the Halfling.

"It is a burden he should never have had to bear. We can ask no more of Frodo."

"Gandalf, the enemy is moving. Sauron's forces are massing in the east, his eye is fixed on Rivendell. And Saruman you tell me has betrayed us. Our list of allies grows thin."

"His treachery runs deeper than you know. By foul craft Saruman has crossed Orcs with Goblinmen, he's breeding an army in the caverns of Isengard. An army that can move in sunlight and cover great distance at speed. Saruman is coming for the Ring."

"This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves." Ruby's eyes were still on the two Hobbits talking outside. She could feel the Ring calling its master, getting stronger by the second.

"We do not have the strength to fight both Mordor and Isengard!" Lord Elrond added. He watched as Gandalf slowly walked away, in deep thought. Stopping on another balcony, he gazed out over Rivendell. "Gandalf, the Ring cannot stay here." They heard a group entering Rivendell. Ruby wondered how Lord Elrond had known he needed to call a council before she remembered his gift of foresight. "This peril belongs to all Middle Earth. They must decide now how to end it." He continued. "The time of the Elves is over; my people are leaving these shores. Who will you look to when we've gone? The Dwarves? They hide in their mountains seeking riches. They care nothing for the troubles of others."

"Sadly true." Ruby nodded.

"It is in Men that we must place our hope." Gandalf turned back to them.

"Men? Men are weak." They walked into Lord Elrond's library as he spoke. "The race of Men is failing. The blood of Númenor is all but spent. Its pride and dignity forgotten. It is because of Men the Ring survives. I was there, Gandalf. I was there, three thousand years ago…" he had a far off look in his face. "Isildur took the Ring. I was there the day the strength of Men failed. I led Isildur into the heart of Mount Doom, where the Ring was forged, the one place it could be destroyed. It should've ended that day, but Evil was allowed to endure." There was a moment of silence. Ruby registered the fact that the Ring of Power was much older than herself, if she were to fall under its reign, there would be no saving of those around her. She suppressed a shudder as the Elf continued. "Isildur kept the Ring. The line of Kings is broken. There is no strength left in the world of Men. They're scattered, divided, leaderless."

"There is one who could unite them, one who could reclaim the throne of Gondor." She said. Gandalf nodded in agreement.

"He turned from that path long time ago. He has chosen exile." Lord Elrond turned away.

"Well then, he'll just have to turn back, won't he?" Ruby raised an eyebrow in defiance. It would not be the first time she had convinced Aragorn against doing something stupid. She walked out of the library in search of her protégé.

She found him reading a book near the statue that held his broken heirloom. He looked briefly up from his book to acknowledge her and smiled. She sat next to him and looked over his shoulder at the book in his hands. As he ignored her in lieu of his text, she sighed and leaned on the arm of the sofa they were on, bending her left knee and stretching her right leg on his lap. Her foot hooked under the arm of the sofa on his other side, effectively trapping him. He had a habit of walking out in the middle of their conversations, especially when she tried to change his mind about something.

"What?" he knew what she was doing, and that a long, boring and tiresome conversation would result of her staring a hole in the side of his head.

"Don't you use that tone with me, young Man." She warned.

"I'm sorry." He forced his voice to calm. "Was there anything you wanted to tell me?" he asked.

"We must depart soon." She started. "The strength of the Elves wane. It cannot stay here." She watched as he understood what she was saying. He closed his book.

"What do you suggest?" he leaned back and rested his hands on her shin.

"I don't suggest anything. The _Dovah_ have no care for the quarrels of Arda." She let her eyes shine crimson for a moment. "But I do enjoy it as it is, and would hate to have to leave."

"Surely if there is one strong enough to resist it would be you?"

"Gandalf believes that it is in the smallest of things we must place our hope. I agree with him. History might be written by the great, but the devil is in the details."

"Where are you going with this?" Strider grunted as he tried to stand, but Ruby kept him firmly seated.

"I have accepted my heritage. Perhaps you should follow the example." She watched as the Man stopped struggling against her leg and froze. He looked at her with a mixture of dread, hate, doubt, and fear in his eyes. The heard a noise and snapped their heads to the entrance of the courtyard.

A Man entered and paused to look at the painting of Isildur and Sauron. He walked with the swagger of a cocky royal. His blond hair was sweaty, his clothes travel worn. He then noticed the two sitting on the sofa looking at him.

"You are no Elf." He addressed the Man.

"The Men of the South are welcome here." Aragorn answered.

"Who are you?" he inquired.

"I am a friend to Gandalf the Grey." Ruby smirked at his words. He should have been an actor, such was his love for mystery and dramatics.

"Then we are here on common purpose…friend." He finally turned to Ruby, taking in her oversized black silk shirt, dark leather trousers tucked into tall boots and loose hair. "And who is this?"

"I would think the son of the Steward of Gondor would know how to greet a Lady properly." Aragorn's tone took a venomous note. He did not like the way the other man was looking at Ruby, and did not understand why she pressed her leg further down on his thighs, keeping him from standing. He looked at her quizzically and she winked playfully at him. He relaxed. Ruby could always deal with Men like him.

"A Lady does not wear a Man's clothes, nor does she drape herself over one. Are you a harlot? I might have use of you tonight. The road was long and hard, and so am I." Ruby was disgusted, but she kept her composure. The Man merely laughed at her silence and turned away, seeing the broken sword. He picked up the haft and stared at the blade. Ruby felt Aragorn stiffen under her calf. So he did have some sort of protectiveness over his rightful sword. "The shards of Narsil! The blade that cut the ring from Sauron's hand!" The Man said, amazed at the relic he held in his hands, running his finger up the blade. He hissed quietly, a cut on his finger. "It's still sharp!" he laughed, surprised. Then, he seemed to recompose himself. "But no more than a broken heirloom!" He put the sword back carelessly, walking away, letting it fall to the ground. He stopped for a second, looking back, but then walked away, sticking his finger in his mouth.

Ruby released Aragorn. He got up and picked up the dropped shaft, carefully setting it in place with the other shards. Taking a step back with his hand on his chest, he sighed. Ruby saw Arwen walk up behind him. She quietly slinked off.


	8. Chapter 8

_Get ready for some feels. Ruby faces her past._

* * *

Ruby arrived at the entrance to Imladris, having decided to see who else had come. Her face lit up in a smile as she recognized an old friend.

"Gimli!" she hastened her pace and nearly skipped to the Dwarf, who turned and looked for the one who had called his name. As his eyes found her, he held his arms open and they embraced. Ruby was picked up by the stout Dwarf and had her breath squeezed out of her before he set her down. "You've grown strong, Gimli." She wheezed. "And look how long your beard is! Your father is most certainly proud of you!" she saw the little skin of his cheeks that was visible grow red, and his eyes twinkled as he looked bashfully away. "How is Gloin?" she asked.

"Father is old, _Baraz Kunzek_. He sits in his workshop and curses his eyesight, but he is as stubborn as ever! He would have come himself, but the road is harsh, and we were in a hurry." Ruby nodded in understanding. "We miss your visits." He said.

"Would it kill you to visit _me_ once in a while?" she retorted. Ruby had no desire to discuss why she would not return to Erebor.

"Dwarves rarely leave their caves, _Mîruin_. It is folly to try and convince them that the open skies are better than a stone ceiling." Ruby turned to see a tall elf leaving the stables, handing his pack to one of the servants. Hearing mumbling behind her, Ruby turned to see the Dwarf walking away, muttering curses in _Khuzdul._

"All these years, and you still have not learned to at least be cordial to each other. After all you went through." She sighed and shook her head.

"Old habits die hard." Legolas shrugged. He approached Ruby and took her hand, kissing her knuckles. "My Lady _Mîruin_." He straightened and looked at her, a compliment on the tip of his tongue. "You look..." he quickly took in her appearance.

He knew she had been living in Fangorn Forest. The water there had magical properties, making the trees grow tall and be able to move and talk. The same water had apparently made her grow taller (but she was still a head shorter than him). Her hair was unfathomably longer, reaching her knees, even though it lacked its usual shine and volume. The accursed thin braid behind her left ear was still worn, but the golden bead at its tip was dull with scratches and lack of polishing. Her skin was pale and ashen and dry. Dark bags hung under her once sparkling eyes. They were no longer the warm chestnuts he was used to, traces of gold reminiscent from her shifting to her other form, and light shades of emerald having bled into her irises. Probably also because of her long exposure to the magic of Fangorn Forest. Her lips were cracked and pulled up in a fake smile that couldn't fool anyone. Her clothes were the same style as the past seven decades: Mourning Black. She was thinner, and her posture did not imply the same proud and dangerous air it used to.

"...terrible." He finished truthfully. She pulled her hand from his grasp and looked away, shifting her weight on her feet. "When was the last time you slept? Or ate?" he pushed a strand of her loose hair behind her ear. He preferred when she used to wear it pulled back and tied on the back of her head, so he could see her face from all angles.

"Don't worry about me, Legolas. I'm fine." She smiled. "Come on, let's get you to your room so you can freshen up before dinner." She turned and they walked in silence to his room. "Here you go. I think the maids have drawn you a bath already." She motioned to the giggling _Ellith_ around the corner.

"What's with them?" Legolas asked.

"The handsome Prince of Mirkwood has come to Rivendell, have you not heard?" Ruby smirked.

"You think I'm handsome?" he turned to her and leaned his shoulder on the doorframe.

"You're an _Ellon_ , you're all ridiculously gorgeous." Ruby laughed. She seemed to see a flash of disappointment in his eyes, but it was gone as soon as it appeared.

"I'll see you at dinner?" he asked, straightening up.

"Sure. Until then."

* * *

Legolas brooded in his bath. He could not even enjoy the heat on his skin soothing his muscles after the long ride. He knew Ruby had suffered with Thorin's death. But it was obvious to anyone that if he had died, and she had not, he was not her One. Why she still let herself fade after over seventy years was beyond him. He had tried visiting her in Fangorn Forest after the incident in Erebor, but every time he came close to the Heart of the Forest, it tried to kill him. He had tried talking to the trees, explaining who he was and why he was there, but they all formed a tight ring around the centre of the woods, so that he could not get through, not unless he decided to burn it down. A very bad idea. He would either be killed before he even tried, or be trapped inside with the fire.

He sighed heavily. Ruby wasn't taking care of herself. She was too thin, too frail. He chuckled. If she so wished, she could roast him in a second in her dragon form. But still. Had she been sleeping at all? Shaking his head, he rose from the bath and dried himself, deciding to wear a silver tunic, his hunting trousers and boots. Comfortable, but elegant enough for the table of Lord Elrond. He left his room and walked to the welcoming feast. There were _Ellyn_ , Dwarves, Men and Hobbits. But no _Dovah_ could be seen. He sat and ate with his kin, making light conversation, then standing to share a drink with his friend Aragorn.

"Have you seen _Mîruin_?" he asked, finally.

"She hasn't come to eat yet." The Ranger's eyes were fixed on Arwen, the _Elleth_ giggling as she tried to lure him away from the feast. "Perhaps you should go see if she is still in her room." The Man drained his glass and looked around to find his beloved.

"Friend!" another Man called to the Ranger. "Remember your company this afternoon? Where might that fine Lass be?" Aragorn simply pretended not to hear him over the racket the Dwarves and Hobbits were making.

"Who is he talking about?" Legolas asked.

"Ruby." Aragorn saw anger spike in his friend's blue eyes. "Peace, Legolas. He is drunk, and I am ashamed to say that Men are stupid when it comes to courting."

"Him? Courting Ruby?" Legolas was appalled by the idea. "As if." He scoffed. He took a long drink to calm himself. At Aragorn's silence, he looked back at his smirking friend. "What?"

"Nothing." The Man clapped the Elf on the shoulder. "Excuse me. Until Tomorrow, _mellon_."

Legolas nodded and watched the blond Man stumble around. He shook his head and turned to the table and started making a plate for Ruby. He remembered she liked the overcooked meat the Dwarves were eating, and the homemade bread the Hobbits were stuffing themselves with. He added some fresh berries, as he remembered she was very fond of them. When she lived in Mirkwood, she would stain shirt after shirt with the dark red juice from the ripe berries whenever it was the right season. He remembered he caught her sleeping in a thorny raspberry shrub once and had pricked his arms in effort of not waking her as he tried to pick her up and carry her back to her room. He had only succeeded in waking her, staining his own clothes and stabbing them both even more with the shrubbery.

Coming to his senses, he realized he was already at her door. He shook his head to recompose himself and knocked. A soft 'enter' was heard and he opened the door, sticking his head inside.

"Legolas." She greeted him. She was sitting on a pile of cushions by the fire, reading a book.

"You're not eating." He entered the room and closed the door behind him as she rolled her eyes. "I brought you something." He set the plate next to her on a low table by the fireplace and sat on her right. He watched her pick at some berries, then push the plate away. "Ruby." He scolded. She hummed, without taking her eyes off her book. He snatched it from her hands and held it behind his back.

"Legol—no, give it back!" she lunged for it but he held it out of her reach.

"Eat first." He said as he dodged her hands.

"I'm not hungry, give me my book!"

"I'm not giving you your book back until you eat! You look like a twig, for crying out loud!" he watched her eyes flash red for a moment, then subside to the normal golden-brown. "I worry for you, _Mîruin_." His tone softened. He reached for the plate and pushed it into her hands. She sighed and accepted the food, slowly chewing and still eyeing her book in his hands. He turned the book to look at the cover, his index finger wedged between the pages so as not to lose the spot where she stopped reading. He recognized her language, _Dovahzul_ , and looked up at her. "Are you still searching for answers?"

"No." She said after she swallowed the food in her mouth. "I just...it became such a habit for me to read these books after I found them in Erebor, I'm not sure why I even do it anymore." She saw something akin to pity in the _Ellon's_ eyes. "What?" she asked.

"Don't you think it's time for you to move on?" he asked softly. Ruby sighed and placed her half-eaten plate on the side table. Legolas cursed himself for ruining her appetite. ' _Oh, well._ ' He thought. ' _Might as well get on with it._ ' "I understand that Thorin's death has taken a toll on yo—"

"Do you?" she cut in venomously. He chose to ignore her outburst and tried a different approach.

"No one is denying your love for him. I saw it with my own eyes the way you two looked at each other. I am convinced that you were his One, there is no doubt about that." He watched as her red eyes filled with tears. "But are you sure he was your One?" he waited for the blow. He waited for her to pull the fire from the fireplace and scar him for life. He waited for the cursing, the yelling, the hitting. But nothing came. He opened his eyes he had not realized he was clenching shut in what he would not admit was fear and looked at her. She was staring out the window, a dismal look on her face. Tears streamed silently down her face as she took in a deep breath, and softly whispered:

"I don't know."

Legolas sagged his shoulders, half in relief that he was unharmed, half in compassion to her hurt tone. He put the book aside, no longer worried for her lost page and pulled her to his chest. He wrapped his arms around her shaking form, and as much as she tried to muffle them in his tunic, he could hear her sobs. He rubbed her back and whispered soothing nothings in her ear.

"I feel so wrong in being able to live on when he has passed. Should I not have followed him? Should I not have faded by now? Why am I to live this torture? Why can't I let him go?" she sobbed. Legolas squeezed her tighter in an attempt to calm her.

" _Mîruin_ , you live on because you have yet to find your true One. You yourself are to blame for your suffering." He felt, more than heard, her hiccup. "You know it's true. You can't let him go because you don't want to. What I fail to understand is why."

She knew he was right. Deep down, all these years she knew she was inducing this hell on herself because she thought she needed to be punished. She blamed herself for his death, and for not following him. But deep down inside, she could barely remember what his baritone voice sounded like. She tried to control her breathing to subdue her hiccups and sobs to little effect. Nonetheless she choked out an answer.

"If I am to find my One, how will I know he truly is my One? What if I am not his One? What if he is to die? What if he finds that his One is another person? How can I live with the pain? Oh, I'm so selfish!" her sobs stopped, but her tears continued falling.

"I cannot answer you these questions, for I do not know the answer myself." He pushed her away and wiped her tears with his sleeve. "What I do know, is that you need to move on. You were once the most beautiful being I ever laid eyes on. You were full of energy and life. And by your foolish efforts, you are now a shell of the mighty _Dovah_ I once knew."

"You didn't know what I was." She argued.

"It doesn't matter." He let go of her and pulled her braid from behind her ear. "What matters is that there are difficult times coming, and Middle Earth might need your help. I know," he held up a hand as she started to argue. "the _Dovah_ do not afflict themselves with the squabbles of lower races." He rolled his eyes as he quoted her. "But this is your home. And do not pretend not to care for it, or the peoples in it." He watched as she took the braid from his hand and twirled it in her fingers, deep in thought. Legolas watched her.

Hesitantly, she unclasped the bead at the end of her braid. She fingered it for a moment before setting it on the table next to them. Slowly, she ran her fingers through her braid, disentangling the strands from one another. The hair was locked in one position for so long, it frizzed ridiculously, and Legolas chuckled, despite the seriousness of the act. She sighed heavily, as if a great burden was lifted from her shoulders. Running her fingers hastily through her hair, she pulled it up and tied it with her old red ribbon she kept around her wrist. It was old and frayed, but it was still strong enough to hold her hair. The movements were foreign to her, she had not kept her hair up for nearly eighty years. She sighed again as she remembered what it felt like to have her hair out of her face and the gentle breeze of _Imladris_ caress her nape. She looked up at Legolas who had been watching her and smiled shyly at her behaviour.

"There you are, _Mîruin_ , I thought I had lost you." He smiled brightly as her face came into better view. He traced her long, elegant neck with his eyes and sighed in relief at what he had accomplished.

"I'm sorry fo—" she started.

"Don't be." He held up a hand. "I'm glad I could help you. If you need me, I'll always be here for you."

"Thank you, Legolas." She smiled. Her eyes shifted to the bead on the table. "What should I do with it?" she asked.

"What you do with your own things is none of my business." The _Ellon_ stated truthfully. "You may wish to discard it, turning a fresh leaf in your life, or you may wish to keep it, in memory of what you had, so that you may remember the good times and learn from the bad." Ruby nodded in agreement, a pensive look in her eyes. "You do not have to decide tonight, _Mîruin_." She seemed relieved at his statement. "We should get some sleep. Tomorrow morning the council will be gathered and we need our strength to stay concentrated." He stood and held out his hand for her. Hoisting her up, he noticed how she was so much lighter. "Try to eat a bit more." He said as she saw him to the door. She nodded as she opened it and he stepped out, turning to glance at her. "Good night, _Mîruin_."

"Good night, Legolas." She stood on the tips of her toes and placed a chaste kiss on his smooth cheek. "Thank you for everything." She stepped back and closed the door.

Legolas stood in the hallway for a few seconds, touching his cheek lightly as if to hold the feeling of her lips on him. He smiled and turned to his own chambers, a few hallways away. He went to sleep peacefully that night.

Unlike Ruby.

She tossed and turned in her sheets, the faces of Thorin's company frowning down on her, blaming her for his death, judging her because of her betrayal to Thorin. She woke up soaked in sweat and tears. Looking around her room she noticed it was almost dawn. The bead that hung previously in her hair glinted in the soft glow of the rising sun. She looked at it and decided to leave it there as she changed into fresh clothes and brushed her hair. He glanced at the bead again. Legolas was right. She couldn't do this to herself anymore. Resolutely pulling her hair up, she tied it with her old ribbon, making a note to get a newer one. She stepped out of her room and went to have breakfast before the council gathered.


	9. Chapter 9

_Author's note:_

 _A very big thank you to all those of you who favorited/followed, and a cool hug to those of you who reviewed. I'd say warm, but today we reached 38ºC. Tequila-lime popsicles all around. Go ahead, take one, they're home-made._

 _Also, a very big fuck you to one of you, especially. killthepain62 has kindly informed me that my material has been stolen. Now, I want to set something straight. This is fanfiction. We do not make money out of this. We do not hold any legal rights over what we write. But if you're gonna use something of mine in your story, at least giveme a heads up. A simple FYI would suffice._

 _I'd actually be flattered if you thought my writing was good enough to be recycled into other stories, just don't do it like a thief in the night. I know who you are, I know which story you put my work in, but I'm not going to expose you, because technically, you're doing what I'm doing. Stealing from a better author. The fact that you are stealing from me and I am stealing from Tolkien defines our positions in the author scale clearly._

 _And one more thing. killthepain62 has just informed me that the other author has taken down their story. My opinion still stands. I have nothing against people using my work, just let me know._

 _So, with that off my chest, I present you: the Council of Elrond._

* * *

A group of Men, Elves, Dwarves and the Hobbits sat in a circle around a stone pedestal as she entered Lord Elrond's personal courtyard. She felt her acquaintances regarding her. Gandalf seemed relieved, and smiled at her, nodding his encouragement. She looked to Legolas, who was glancing at Gimli with a smug satisfaction. Gimli seemed hurt as he glared at the side of her head where the braid had been, and Aragorn was confused at the sudden change in her appearance and the reactions of the males around them.

"Ah, there she is, I looked for you all of last evening!" Boromir said as she entered the circle and looked for a free chair. "I'm sure you're not allowed to keep us company this time," the way he said 'company' made many present stir uncomfortably. "but I'll be sure to seek you out before I leave Rivendell." Ruby stopped her pacing and turned her head to look at him. Legolas, Aragorn, Gimli and Gandalf had risen at his words, even Frodo seemed to tense up, gripping the arms of his chair. Ruby turned the rest of her body to face the Man and slowly stepped closer. Gandalf raised a hand to pull her back, but Aragorn and Gimli flanked her, advancing towards the Man. Gimli, though he had the shortest legs, reached the Man first. "Wait your turn, Dwarf." Boromir said as he eyed the approaching figure. Before anything could be said or done, Aragorn pulled Gimli out of the way just in time as a gust of wind knocked Boromir off his feet and into a stone pillar. Ruby stepped closer and bent at her waist, lowering her face to look into the Man's eyes, the tips of her tied hair brushing the floor.

"Contrary to your belief, petty Human, I am not a whore. I have overlooked the first time you have insulted me. May this second time be a warning: There will be no third." Her eyes darkened to a deep crimson.

 _"Mîruin."_ Lord Elrond called. She straightened, her eyes melting back into their normal mixture of chestnut, gold and green. With a last look to the Man at her feet, she went to sit by Aragorn.

The ring of tense visitors shifted back to their places, a silent Boromir amongst them.

"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old." Lord Elrond started, choosing to get to the point as quickly as possible. He would deal with the occurred later. "You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate–this one doom." He gestured to the pedestal and looked at the Hobbit. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."

Frodo rose slowly and placed the Ring on the pedestal. He returned to his seat with a sigh. It took great effort on his part to release the Ring, but as soon as he did, he felt lighter. The council members started to whisper among themselves.

"So it is true…" Boromir seemed to have regained his voice.

"The Doom of Men." Another whispered.

"In a dream, I saw the Eastern side grow dark but in the West a pale light lingered." Boromir had stood and was approaching the pedestal with each word. "A voice was crying: 'Your doom is near at hand. Isildur's Bane is found'." Gandalf and Elrond exchanged nervous glances as Boromir reached for the Ring.

"Boromir!" the Elf Lord jumped up warningly, Gandalf soon following his lead.

"Ash nazg durbatuluk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatuluk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul." As he shouted in the ancient tongue of Mordor, the sky grew dark and those present at the Council winced as a sharp pain coursed through them. Boromir sat down, the sky losing the darkness, and Elrond raised his head from his hands.

"Never before has any voice uttered the words of the tongue here in Imladris." He said shakily.

"I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond," Gandalf answered gruffly as he went back to his seat. "for the Black Speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West! The Ring is altogether evil."

"It is a gift!" Boromir shook his head insistently. "A gift to the foes of Mordor! Why not use this Ring?" He rose and started to pace. "Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe!" Ruby saw as Aragorn seethed at his words. "Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him!"

"You cannot wield it! None of us can. The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master." Aragorn tried to explain to the thick-skulled Man.

"And what would a ranger know of this matter?" he said, derision dripping from his tone. Ruby could handle offensive words towards her, but by turning them against her protégé in her presence was too much for her. She and Legolas sprang up simultaneously.

"This is no mere ranger." She said. Boromir startled at her movements and stepped back. She smirked down her nose at him.

"He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance." Legolas added.

"Aragorn?" Boromir turned towards Aragorn with disbelief in his eyes. "This… is Isildur's heir?"

"And heir to the throne of Gondor." Ruby stated proudly. She noticed Frodo looking wide-eyed at Aragorn.

" _Havo dad, Legolas_." Aragorn said before the Ellon could talk. " _Monah, ol hi krif hin siifur krif, vos zey krif dii._ " He turned to Ruby, reaching out to grasp her hand, and after a moment of hesitation they both sat.

"Gondor has no King." Boromir turned back to his seat and glared at Aragorn. "Gondor needs no King."

"Aragorn is right. We cannot use it." Gandalf tried to get the meeting running in the right direction.

"You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed." Lord Elrond stated. Boromir sighed in defeat and Frodo looked at the Ring in worry.

"What are we waiting for?" Gimli grabbed his axe and approached the pedestal, shouting as he swung the weapon down. "ARGH!" Lord Elrond tried to stand and stop him, but it was too late, as the axe shattered and the force of the blow slung him back. The Ring remained intact on the pedestal.

"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Glóin by any craft that we here possess." Lord Elrond explained as Ruby and the other Dwarves helped him up. It did not go unnoticed how the Dwarves shunned her, but he let it slide...for now. He kept talking as he watched Ruby go back to her seat with slumped shoulders. "The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came." There was a pause where they could clearly hear the Ring whispering. "One of you must do this."

The dead silence was broken once again by Boromir. "One does not simply walk into Mordor." He said, as if explaining something to a little child. "Its black gates are guarded by more than just orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. And the great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland. Riddled with fire, and ash, and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly!" he half laughed at the idea.

"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said?" Legolas sprang up again. "The Ring must be destroyed!" Boromir looked away dejectedly.

"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?!" Gimli also stood, glaring at the Elf, though the difference was hardly noticed. Legolas, however glared coldly at him.

"And if we fail, what then?!" Boromir rose once more. "What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?!"

"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an elf!" Gimli ignored the Man. The other Elves rose and started shouting at Gimli and the other Dwarves. Legolas held out his hand to stop them from starting a physical fight. "Never trust an elf!" he continued as the other members of the council sprang up. Gandalf shook his head and joined the squabble, hoping to achieve some sense:

"Do you not understand that while we bicker among ourselves, Sauron's power grows?! None can escape it!"

As he argued with Boromir, Legolas and Gimli still shouted at each other. Ruby went to try and appease the two races as she had done before, but before she could utter a word, Gimli rounded on her.

"You! You have betrayed us! Do your loyalties lie with the knife-ear? Did he convince you to stay away from Erebor and relinquish Thorin's claim on you?" Ruby staggered back, but strong arms kept her upright. Legolas seethed at the words and pushed her behind him, spewing profanities in _Sindarin_ as the Dwarves answered in kind in _Khuzdul._ Suddenly, a rage overtook Ruby and she pushed past Legolas and felt the scales take over her skin without her consent.

"I have been in exile for nearly eighty years! Do you not think I have suffered? Do you not think I have wished every single day to follow Thorin into the afterlife?" The Dwarves stepped back as her skin started to change. She was still keeping hold of her human form, but just barely.

Suddenly, a small voice piped up:

"I will take it! I will take it!" Everyone stopped arguing. Gandalf closed his eyes as he heard Frodo's statement. Everyone slowly turned toward Frodo, surprised. Ruby looked ashamedly away at having lost her composure. "I will take the Ring to Mordor. Though...I do not know the way."

"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, so long as it is yours to bear." Gandalf walked towards Frodo and put his hand on his shoulder.

"If by my life or death, I can protect you, I will." Aragorn, along with Lord Elrond, was one of the few who had remained sitting and silent during the dispute. He knelt before Frodo. "You have my sword."

"And you have my bow." Legolas walked over and stood beside Frodo.

"And my axe!" Gimli and Legolas exchanged dark looks.

"You carry the fates of us all little one." Boromir approached slowly. "If this is indeed the will of the council, then Gondor will see it done." He said proudly.

"Heh!" Suddenly, Sam emerged from behind some bushes and stood beside Frodo. "Mr. Frodo is not goin' anywhere without me!"

"No indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not." Lord Elrond was slightly amused.

"Wait! We are coming too!" Lord Elrond's amusement vanished as he frowned at the two remaining Hobbits joining the group.

"You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us!" Merry stated.

"Anyway you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission, quest… thing." Pippin nodded.

"Well that rules you out Pip." Merry muttered. Frodo had to hold in his laugh.

Ruby had composed herself enough to look back at the group that had gathered before the pedestal where the Ring lay. She circled them slowly, glancing at the Ring. What Legolas had said last night was true. She did care for Middle Earth. So, avoiding eye contact with Gimli, she went to stand by Aragorn, though she did not trust her voice yet.

"Ten companions…So be it! You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!" Lord Elrond nodded.

"Great! Where are we going?" Pippin smiled cheerfully.

* * *

Ruby was locked in her room, thinking about her nightmare and what Gimli had said. She understood that they were under the influence of the Ring and that he did not mean it, but she could not help but wonder if she had made the right choice. A knock at her door made her snap out of her thoughts. She bid the visitor enter.

Gimli found Ruby sitting on a pile of cushions in front of her fireplace, as was her custom. She fiddled with something in her hand and he recognized it as the bead Thorin had given her. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, forgetting his well trained apology speech.

"It's alright, Gimli." She said softly.

"No, it isn't." He snapped out of his stuttering thoughts and dropped to one knee. "My Queen, what I did was unacceptable. Please punish me as you see fit." He kept his head down and his fists on the floor before him. Ruby frowned at the strange behaviour. She knew some Dwarves (mainly the Company and their families and closest friends) still saw her as their rightful Queen, but Gimli had never acted like this.

"Gimli, I am not your Queen. I was never married to Thorin, and I had always planned on relinquishing the Throne. You know this." She stood and walked to him. "Stand up, please." Gimli hurried to comply, his head still bowed. Ruby put a hand under his chin and made him look at her. "You were under the influence of the Ring, so was everyone else there." She started. "You have nothing to apologise for, though I feel like I owe your kin an explanation."

"Nay, _Baraz Kunzek_." He shook his head. "We all knew that this day would come. We were just loathe to see it." He smiled sadly. "It is rare for a Dwarf to find his One, much less one from the line of Durin. That you were his One, but he was not yours is nothing out of the ordinary. As you did not fade in the years following his death, all of Dwarvenkind realized the truth. But you are so loved by us that we chose not to utter the truth. Forgive my Kin." He bowed his head again.

"Yo—you love me?" she thought back on all the looks she had received at the Durins' funeral, and whenever she visited the mountain or encountered a Dwarf. She now realized they were not looks of hatred, but of pity.

"Aye, lass." Gimli nodded. "Many of us feared you—still fear you." He admitted shamefully. "But what can you expect, given our history with _Aslakh?"_ He half laughed. Ruby pulled the corner of her lip up as she continued listening to him. "But as we got to know you, the great _Uslukh_ who helped reclaim our kingdom, our fear turned to admiration. Your story is told to every _ikhuzud_ at bedtime, and many recount your tales at feasts." He bowed his head once again and seemed to debate whether he should fall to his knees once more. " _Gajut men, Athanu men Baraz Kunzek, Thorin Thane Azbad. Men Gajamu_."

" _Men kemgu gajum menu, Izbadu men Gimli, Gloin-ul. Kaham menu demapdul. Men gajatu._ " Her Khuzdul was rusty, but it rolled off her tongue easily enough. Gimli sighed in relief at her words and finally looked up of his own accord.

"Move on, lass." He said, a sad smile on his bearded face. "Find your One. Thorin would have wanted it." He wiped a tear from her cheek. "Now come." He said cheerfully. "There is a hearty supper waiting for us. The road is long, and we better make the best of our stay here."

At the dining court, Ruby was surrounded by the rest of the Dwarves, all profusely apologising. Ruby ensured them that all was well, and turned to the food. She did not realize how hungry she was. Thinking about it, she had not felt much hunger these past decades, and looked down at herself. Her clothes were baggy, whereas they once hugged her figure snugly. Her fingers and wrists seemed bony under her pale, dry skin.

"You've finally come to your senses, I see." Legolas stood by her side, throwing glares at the Dwarves. "Eating only enough not to starve has taken its toll on you, Mîruin."

"I have seen the errors in my ways, Legolas. I shall take better care of myself." She assured him.

"I'll hold you to that." He handed her a plate so that she could fill it.

"We all will." Ruby turned to see Aragorn, Gimli and Gandalf gathered.

"I thought this excursion was 'take the Ring to Mordor', not 'feed the Dragon'." She frowned playfully at them.

"We'll manage both." Gandalf said. "And as for your heritage, my dear, I am glad you brought it up." he continued gravely. "You have managed to keep yourself out of the enemies' focus, and we must take advantage of that." Ruby nodded in understanding, already knowing what he was going to say. "I think it would be wise if you didn't flounce your true form around. I'm sorry to speak these words so bluntly, but we may need it as a hidden weapon."

"No, you're right, I agree." Ruby waved his apology away as Legolas and Aragorn agreed to the plan.

"Very well then, it is settled. You might want to turn in early, my dear, tomorrow our journey begins." He bid them goodnight and left to his chambers. Ruby listened as the others chatted, nibbling on her food. She might have gained her appetite again, but was still unused to so much food. She shouldn't eat so much at once, especially if she didn't want to be sick tomorrow. She noticed a hesitant movement to her left and snapped her eyes away from the image of Gimli stuffing himself with food to the slowly approaching figure of Boromir. He stood in front of her and looked down at her inquisitive gaze. He could feel the Elf and Aragorn glaring holes in his back, but breathed deeply before he opened his mouth.

"My Lady, I apologise for my behaviour. It was not in my upbringing to treat a Lady as such. I hope I can make amends so that our journey might not be burdened by my errors." He said and bowed his head stiffly, before waiting for an answer.

"I'm not a Lady, Stewardson of Gondor. But your acts were erroneous nonetheless." She gained a little satisfaction as he flinched. "Though you are right. It would be tiresome to travel in tense spirits. I have given you fair warning, and you have apologized. Let us not speak of it again." She extended her hand to him. Instead of shaking it, he turned it palm down and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles.

"My Lady has a way with words. Have you considered a political station? A noble marriage, perhaps?" he looked up at her, relief in his eyes, but also enough of his boyish flair had returned to take up his customary flirting. A flash of something passed her eyes and they momentarily glowed red. Boromir had quite forgotten the likely danger he was in. 'What kind of creature is she?' he thought before she answered.

"The thought has crossed my mind once or twice..." she pulled her hand from his. Legolas, having stood nearby in case she needed assistance, had heard everything. He decided to step in and save her from further torment, unconsciously also saving Boromir from possible harm.

" _I heryn Mîruin_." Legolas extended his hand to her. " _Go-vethatham_?"

"Excuse me." She smiled thinly, but politely to Boromir. "Until tomorrow." She took Legolas' hand and let him lead her away to the hallways. He was fuming silently, his long legs striding rapidly away from the dining court. "Legolas." She called. Nothing. "Legolas!" The Elf stopped and turned around to her. "You're leaving a trail." She tried to hide her smirk. Legolas blinked in that adorable way he always did when he was confused and turned to see that the way they had come had fissures and cracks on the ground. He knew he had inherited his father's powers in the earthen element, but he had never given it much thought, or pursued studies. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "We're going to be spending a lot of time with him." She put her hand soothingly on his arm. "You shouldn't let it get to you."

"You're right. I know you're right, but I can't help it." He sighed and willed the cracks to close. In his angry state he did a poor job of fixing the floor. His eyes snapped to Ruby as she laughed at his attempt and closed them herself. "I remember a time when I was the one better at this."

"The difference is that I took these last years to study and train, and you didn't." She grinned. "If you want, we can train on the journey. Who knows, it might come in handy."

"I'd like that." They had reached her room. " _Abarad, Mîruin_."

" _Erei mindinsul_ , Legolas."

* * *

 _Translations:_

 _Mîruin - Ruby (adaptation)_

 _Ash nazg durbatuluk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatuluk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul. - One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and, in the darkness, bind them._

 _Havo dad, Legolas. - Sit down, Legolas._

 _Monah, ol hi krif hin siifur krif, vos zey krif dii. - Mother, as you fight your own fights, let me fight mine._

 _Baraz Kunzek - Ruby (adaptation)_

 _Aslakh - Dragons_

 _Uslukh - Dragon_

 _ikhuzud - young dwarf_

 _Gajut men, Athanu men Baraz Kunzek, Thorin Thane Azbad. Men Gajamu. - Forgive me, My Queen Ruby, Lady of King Thorin. I apologise._

 _Men kemgu gajum menu, Izbadu men Gimli, Gloin-ul. Kaham menu demapdul. Men gajatu. - I accept your apology, my lesser Lord Gimli, son of Gloin. Your clan is honourable. You are forgiven._

 _I heryn - my lady_

 _Go-vethatham? - Will you join me?_

 _Abarad - until tomorrow_

 _Erei mindinsul - until tomorrow_


	10. Chapter 10

_Thank you for the Favourites and Follows! I love you all so much!_

* * *

"The Ring-bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom. On you who travel with him, no oath, nor bond is laid to go further than you will. Farewell. Hold to your purpose. May the blessings of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you." Lord Elrond bid farewell to them as a group of noble Elves gathered around the travellers as they strapped on their packs.

"The Fellowship awaits the Ringbearer." Gandalf announced. Ruby rolled her eyes at the theatrics. Frodo turned and started to walk out of the gates of Rivendell, faltering at a split in the path.

"Mordor, Gandalf, is it left or right?" he whispered.

"Left." The Wizard put a hand on his shoulder to help and suppressed a smile. Aragorn and Arwen exchanged a last look before he followed the rest of the Fellowship.

They walked from that early hour to the beginnings of the afternoon, when the Hobbits could no more. Ruby was discussing with Aragorn how she thought they could train the Halflings to match their pace, one day at a time. Boromir, who was keeping his distance from her, but could still listen, agreed and nodded silently. If this were a battalion from Gondor, they would have covered at least thrice the amount of ground by now and would not have stopped 'till nightfall.

"We must hold this course west of the Misty Mountains for fourty days. If our luck holds, the Gap of Rohan will still be open to us. From there our road turns east to Mordor." Gandalf was saying to the Fellowship as they set up camp. Soon, Boromir was training Merry and Pippin how to sword fight, with Aragorn watching and giving tips to the Halflings.

"Two, One, Five. Good, very good." Boromir praised.

"Move your feet." Aragorn scolded for the umpteenth time.

"You look good, Pippin." Merry smiled.

"Thanks." The other matched his grin. Ruby shook her head from her perch on one of the taller rocks she was standing on to keep watch. In a true battle they wouldn't look so good.

"Faster!" Boromir took up the tempo.

"If anyone was to ask for my opinion, which I note they're not," Gimli started, "I'd say we were taking the _long_ way round. Gandalf, we could pass through the Mines of Moria. My cousin Balin would give us a royal welcome." Ruby looked to Gandalf for permission, a hopeful look on her face. It had been years since she had seen him, and Dwalin seemed to be omitting something from his letters to her.

"No Gimli, I would not take the roads through Moria unless I had no other choice." Ruby frowned at his response.

"Am I missing something?" she asked the Wizard. At his warning glare, she huffed and leapt from stone to stone to stand by Legolas, who was watching something far away in the South. Ruby was startled to hear Pippin cry out and snapped her head around to find that Boromir had accidentaly hurt Pippin's hand.

"Sorry!" the man called and went to bandage the small wound.

"Aaah!" Pippin shouted as he kicked the approaching Man's leg.

"Ah!" said Man hopped back, clutching his shin.

"Get him!" Merry attacked with Pippin as Aragorn laughed. "For the Shire!"

"Hold him! Hold him Merry!" Pippin called.

"Gentlemen, that's enough!" Aragorn was worried of the racket they were making, and more often than not, innocent roughhousing turned to brawls. He tried to intervene but the Hobbits each grabbed one of his legs and pulled, throwing him back.

"He got my arm! He got my arm!" Merry called for help. Ruby would have laughed at the situation, had it not been for the tense aura wafting off Legolas. She looked to him and saw he was still watching the South. Following his gaze, her keen eyesight discovered a shadow on the sky.

"What is that?" Sam had seen it too.

"Nothing, it's just a wisp of cloud." Gimli waved it off.

"It's moving fast. And against the wind." Boromir had succeeded in detangling himself from the pile.

" _Draaf_." Ruby cursed as she sprang down from their perch and put the fire out with a flick of her wrist.

"Crebain from Dunland!" Legolas called and also sprang down, aiding in hiding their camp.

"Hide!" Aragorn called and pulled the Halflings to lay under some thick shrubbery Ruby was growing for them.

"Hurry!" Boromir shoved Merry and Pippin under a dead piece of bark and looked around for any free hiding spots.

"Take cover!" Aragorn called to him. Suddenly, a small hand grabbed his arm and pulled him down, forcefully rolling him under a bush. Dry twigs scratched his face as he lay on his side, a warm body pushing against his front as his arm was bent in an awkward angle. He focused and saw the back of a head in front of him. Black hair was tied back with a brand new red ribbon: He recognized Ruby and lay very still as she raised her hand and willed the shrubbery to grow thicker around them.

Black birds flew over them, cawing loudly. They circled the hill twice, then turned and flew back towards Isengard. The Fellowship came out from their hiding places after Ruby pulled the branches back and freed them.

"Spies of Saruman!" Gandalf spat. "The passage south is being watched. We must take the Pass of Caradhras." A collective groan was heard as they shifted their gaze towards the icy mountain. Ruby tried to roll out of her hiding place, but a sharp tug on the back of her head impeded her. She looked back to see Boromir's shoulder laying on her hair. He followed the taut rope of hair from her head to his shoulder and scrambled to free it.

"Sorry." He muttered.

"No harm done." Ruby fixed her skew hair and looked him over, noticing he was rubbing his arm. "Are you alright?" she stepped closer.

"Yes, yes, I just twisted a shoulder, nothing serious." He waved her away as he saw Gandalf approach.

"Ruby." The Wizard called. "Secure the area. The enemy may know we are here, but it would be wise to make our way to Caradhras only at dawn." Ruby nodded in understanding, and with a last look at Boromir she went to look for Legolas.

"Come on." She called. "Time for some training." The Elf turned from the fire he was helping Sam rebuild and frowned at her.

"What, now?" he asked.

"No time like the present." She turned and went to the outskirts of their camp and sat on the floor. Legolas followed her and she patted the dry grass next to her. "Gandalf has asked me to protect the camp. Do you know the rydishbean shrub?" she asked. At Legolas' nod she put her hand to the ground and motioned for him to do so too. "Every plant has a different life force." She started to explain. "Try to recognize it, and pull it to the surface." She splayed her fingers and a small green sprout sprang up between her fore and middle finger.

Legolas felt the energy through the earth and concentrated. It took longer, but he was able to bring up a small sprout with a light green leaf on it.

"Good." Ruby praised. "Now, that little shrub needs to grow a circle around our camp. To do so naturally, it would take years, so to speed things up, you must yield your own life force to it." At his alarmed expression, she laughed. "Don't worry, even to sprout a full grown willow tree will barely leave you sweating." She paused. "If you do it right."

Legolas pulled his hand away from the tiny sprout of shrubbery. He'd rather stand watch the whole night if necessary, than give his life to make a plant grow faster.

"Come, now." Ruby took his hand and placed it on the ground, resting her own on top of it. "You're not going to give your life to it, you're just lending your force for a while to make it grow. Follow me." She closed her eyes and Legolas gasped as he felt her life force entering through the back of his hand, and exiting through his palm into the soil, and watched as the sprout grew rather quickly. Slowly, he concentrated and added his own to hers, and they fed the plant until it was as tall as a Man. "Good. Now, will it to grow in the direction you want." Ruby removed her hand from his.

It was difficult at first, especially since he got so distracted by the lack of her hand's warmth on his skin. The rydishbean shrub wanted to grow up, as it was in its nature to do so, Legolas had seen them many times, tall columns of poisonous thorns and berries. So, with a lot of patience, he explained in his mind to the shrub why he wanted it to grow to the side, and after a bit of coaxing, he managed to form a sloppy, crooked, but strong circle around their camp.

" _Werid_ , Legolas, that was a fine start." Ruby smiled at him and inspected his work. "Better than my first try..." she muttered.

"I believe that my having a better teacher than you might have something to do with my success." He smiled at her blush.

"You know you're talking about your father, right?" she referred to her lessons so long ago, before she lived and learned from the Ents.

"I know." Legolas followed her back to the camp. "I also remember you stuck in a tree because you had insulted his teaching skills." He laughed as she scowled at the memory. They relayed to Gandalf that the camp was secure for the night, and warned the others. The shrub was as dangerous from the outside as it was from the inside.

Ruby sat by Pippin and took his hand in hers with a small smile. She inspected the cut that went from the side of his thumb to his wrist. With a sigh, she called to Aragorn, who was closest to her pack and bid him give it to her.

"This will sting a little." She warned as she pulled a small vial from her bag. "Luckily you won't need stitches." She poured the clear, strong smelling liquid, holding on to Pippin's other fingers as he tried to pull away. Dabbing the excess off with a cloth, she wrapped his wound tightly. "There."

"Thank you, Ruby!" he tried to flex his thumb. "How long till I can use my hand again?"

"If you keep the bandage clean and dry, maybe three or four days." She stood and went to sit by the fire, waiting as Gimli finished preparing their supper. They all sat in a circle around the fire as it got darker and darker. Having finished eating, the Hobbits were dozing on the moss beds Ruby had grown for them.

"You shouldn't make them so comfortable. They have to learn the harshness of the wild." Aragorn commented.

"Well, if you don't like it, you can sleep on the rocks." Ruby scrunched her nose at his offended glare. She looked around to see if anyone was still using the fire, and lowered it to embers. With her controlling it, it would warm them, but not call attention to them in the dark. She looked around and saw that Gandalf was already on his own bed of moss, his back to the warmth, probably thinking about their next days of journey. Aragorn was muttering as he lay down, Legolas was poking at the embers, and Gimli was still on watch. She saw Boromir shift and grunt softly as he tried to get comfortable on the bed of moss he had claimed as his own. Approaching him, she sat by his head, making him eye her curiously.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Let me see." She pointed at his shoulder.

"I told you, I'm fine." He tried to turn away, but she punched his armoured shoulder. His cry made Gandalf shush him, as it had broken his train of thought.

"Boromir, if you cannot raise that stupid shield of yours, then what good are you?" Ruby asked. Boromir was torn between giving in to reason, or scolding her for insulting him and his Gondorian armour.

"The sooner you let her fix you, the sooner she'll leave you in peace." Aragorn called from the other side of the camp. "Believe me, I know from experience. Ow!" He rubbed his forehead, where Ruby had thrown a pebble at him. Turning back to Boromir, she saw him sigh in defeat and unstrap his armour.

When he sat in a dark red tunic in front of her, he made to unbutton it, but the movement in his shoulder made him hiss and whisper a curse.

"Let me." Ruby helpfully unbuttoned it and pushed it down from his left shoulder. It was swollen and purple. "Hmm. I apologise for pulling you down so hard. You must have fallen on a root, or a rock."

"No need to apologize, my Lady." He watched as she pulled her pack close and rummaged in it. "I should thank you for your timely assistance. Were it not for you I would probably have had my eyes pecked out."

"Yes, you would have." She answered dryly as she spread a cold, strong smelling cream on his shoulder. He shivered at the cold and the strong smell stung his nose, and as soon as she put the jar back in her pack, she started massaging the cream into his skin. He groaned at first in pain at her jostling his hurt muscle, then in relief as her movements loosened the knots and tensions in it. "But there is no reason to thank me. In this Fellowship we are together. If one gets hurt, the whole group suffers." She pulled his tunic back up his arm and batted his hands away as he tried to do it himself. "Don't exert your muscle until tomorrow morning and you'll be fine by then." She scolded as she buttoned his tunic closed for him. She reached for his armour and clasped it securely on. "There."

"Thank you, my Lady." He nodded at her.

"Boromir, I'm not a Lady. Call me by my name." Ruby started to close her pack.

"Where did you get all these medical supplies? And where did you learn to use them?"

"I have journeyed far, and with many different peoples." She shrugged. "You pick up a few things along the years."

"Years? Surely you must be no older than five and twenty? How many winters have you seen?" he frowned in confusion.

"I do not know exactly how old I am, for I have no memory from before Gandalf found me in the Myr Forest. I believe it has been 1146 years since then." She suppressed a smirk as Boromir's eyes widened.

"Eleven hundred forty _seven_ , Ruby. We have already passed August." Gandalf corrected.

"Oh,right." She nodded "My mistake."

"What _are_ you?" Boromir asked rather bluntly. He knew she was no elf, she was far too short and her ears were round as a human's.

"I'm afraid I'll have to keep that a secret still. An enemy could be listening." She winked at him. He nodded in understanding. She stood and lifted her pack with her. "Good night, Boromir."

"Good night...Ruby" He watched as she went to lay by Aragorn. ' _What is their connection?_ ' he thought. He noticed the Elf relieving the Dwarf of his watch and made himself comfortable to sleep. His last thoughts as he slipped into a light sleep were of how the Elf had made their barrier grow under her guidance.

* * *

 _Translations:_

 _draaf - shit_

 _werid - praise_


	11. Chapter 11

_Sorry for the long wait. I have a houseguest. And I can't wait for her to fucking leave. That is my excuse._

* * *

There was a snowstorm, and everyone was caked with snow in their clothes and hair, under their armour and in their beards. All except for Ruby, who was miserably wet. The snow melted upon impact with her skin, and the wet splotches on her clothes refused to dry. Legolas had it easy, he could walk over the snow and not sink shoulder deep into the path. Ruby seethed every time he looked back at them to count heads. She knew his smile was encouraging, but in her irritated state she saw only a conceited smirk. Gandalf was still opening up their path, Aragorn was carrying Frodo and Sam, Boromir had Merry and Pippin in his arms. Gimli was pulling Bill the Pony through the snow and Ruby made up the rear, making sure none of their packs fell off. Again.

" _Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse! Nai yarvaxea rasselya!_ "

"There is a fell voice on the air." Legolas stated the obvious as his blue eyes peered into the storm, little snowflakes caught in his lashes. Ruby wanted to throttle him.

"It's Saruman!" Gandalf cried, just as an avalanche fell. The Fellowship barely managed to throw themselves towards the mountainside, avoiding it.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf, we must turn back!" Aragorn yelled over the wind.

"No!" Gandalf took Legolas' hand and hoisted himself precariously on a larger stone, dangerously close to the edge. " _Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith!_ " He chanted back.

" _Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse! Nai yarvaxea rasselya taltuva notto-carinnar!_ " Saruman's voice bounced off the stone walls. Lightning struck the top of Caradhras, sending a second avalanche onto the Fellowship. At Ruby's mad dash forward and shocked cry, Legolas pulled Gandalf away from the edge, spreading out his arm to keep Ruby from falling. He threw himself, Gandalf and Ruby against Aragorn, and, consequently against the stone wall just before the snow buried them completely. Ruby, in reflex, grabbed Aragorn's head and pulled it down, protecting it with her right arm, as she did the same to Legolas' head with her left arm. She concentrated on the frozen water falling upon them and willed its fall to soften. After a moment, they all emerged from the snow, having to dig up the shorter members of the Fellowship, much to their dismay.

"We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!" Boromir was shielding Merry and Pippin as well as he could with his cloak.

"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Aragorn argued, pressing close to Ruby, trying to warm himself, Frodo, and Sam with her Heat.

"If we cannot pass over a mountain, let us go under it. Let us go through the Mines of Moria." Gimli put in his two _Tharni_.

"Enough!" Ruby yelled. "I've had enough of this." She pushed Aragorn aside and turned to face the stone wall. "You can all bicker and decide on where to go from here, as long as you're quiet, and I'm dry." She put her hands to the wall, and slowly, a cavern was formed. Its entrance was narrow, only wide enough to let Bill, their widest member, pass through, but inside it was spacey and airy. They rushed inside and Ruby lit a roaring fire in a hole in the ground. They plopped themselves down on soft earth mounds, as it was too cold to make moss grow, and sighed and groaned collectively. Ruby concentrated and willed the water and snow from all of them out of the cave.

"You have remarkable powers, Ruby." Boromir commented as he spread his fingers to warm them by the fire. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Thank you for the shelter, _monah_." Aragorn was already lying on the earth and stretching his sore legs. The Hobbits also thanked her profusely as they gathered around the fire. They were so cold they weren't even thinking of food.

"I'll stand watch." Legolas offered, but Ruby waved his offer away. She pulled him to the entrance and gestured to him to put his hands on the stone. After he did, she sniffed and said:

"Close it." She rubbed her nose. Legolas frowned, but turned back to the opening and the gust of wind in his face and willed the stone to close. His concentration was broken by the frightened yells of the Fellowship. He looked back and saw that he was actually closing not just the entrance of the cave, but the whole cave itself.

"Stop, STOP!" Aragorn rolled away from the rapidly approaching wall. "Ruby, do something!"

"Calm down!" Ruby yelled back at them.

"He's going to crush us all!" Boromir's voice was a bit higher than was normal for Men.

"Oh, ye of little faith." Ruby shook her head and turned back to Legolas, who was looking sheepish and defeated.

"I think you better do this, Ruby." He dropped his hands sadly.

"Come on, we'll do it together." She took his right hand with her left and put her right on one side of the entrance. Legolas placed his left hand on the other side. He felt a jolt of force shoot up his arm. "Feel that?" she asked. The force travelled across his chest and down his left arm to the stone, which vibrated softly. It ricocheted off the stone and went back up his left arm, through his chest and down his right arm into Ruby's hand. "Now close the circle." Legolas willed the force to traverse through the stone, moving it to touch the other side of the entrance so it could reach Ruby's other hand. He furrowed his brow as the stone cracked. "Easy...take your time." Ruby squeezed his hand. Breathing deeply he tried again. Sweat was running down his forehead. Much too slowly for his liking, the opening narrowed to a close, until it was just a crack. The freezing gust of wind whistled loudly through it. Legolas' muscles trembled, he felt like he had moved the stone with his own body, and not with his powers. Ruby closed the gap the rest of the way and Legolas finally felt the force come full circle. Ruby dropped her hand from the stone and released his hand. "That was good for a start. Stone is trickier than earth, especially frozen stone. We'll open the entrance tomorrow." Legolas groaned at the thought.

"Do you mind?" Aragorn was still lying on the floor, pressed against the wall, his chest inches away from the fire. "We're a little cramped here." Ruby chuckled and widened the cave again. The Fellowship sighed in relief and went back to setting up camp.

The only light they had was the warm orange glow from the fire. Ruby turned to the Elf, and noticed him shivering. She realized he did not own thicker and warmer clothes, as the Woodland realm's winters were never as harsh as the mountains'. As much as he could withstand the cold, it did not mean he couldn't feel it.

"Come on, you unprepared Elf." She pulled him to one of the earth mounds and made him sit. She knelt and rummaged through her pack. Finding what she wanted, she threw a thick blanket over Legolas' shoulders, rubbing his arms.

"Ruby, what are you doing?" he stiffened.

"Making sure I don't have to return a frozen statue of his son to Thranduil." She mumbled. Legolas could see sleep was taking over her as she rubbed her warm hands over his chest.

" _Ci vilui, Gûr nîn glassui._ " The Elf thanked her.

" _Laag,_ Legolas _._ " Came the tired reply in _Dovahzul_. He frowned at her suddenly tired and weak demeanor, but didn't comment. He watched as she stood with heavy lidded eyes and made the rounds on each of the members of the fellowship, making sure they were warm and not frostbitten. She was especially concerned about the Hobbits' feet. Legolas snapped his eyes to Aragorn, who caught his concerned gaze, tilting his head in question to the Elf. Said Elf looked to Ruby then back at Aragorn with a concerned look on his face. Aragorn looked to Ruby and noticed the tired expression, sagging shoulders and reddened nose. He nodded to Legolas and stood, making his way to Ruby, who was speaking to Boromir.

"How is your shoulder?" Ruby approached the fire where Boromir was rubbing his hands. His leather gloves were made for riding, not for resisting the harsh cold.

"It's much better, thank you." He watched as she took his hands and rubbed them between her own. "How are you so warm?" he asked. She merely smiled humorously at him as Aragorn approached. Turning her head to him, she was met with a concerned gaze and a palm to her forehead.

"You're burning up." the Ranger said.

"Of course I am, I'm a D—" she interrupted herself and cleared her throat, letting go of Boromir's hands and pushed Aragorn's away. "I mean, I feel fine."

"You do look a little pale, Ruby." Boromir commented.

"I'm fine!" she waved them away and walked in the other direction, kneeling down in front of Gandalf, who was resting with his back to the wall.

"I'm fine, Ruby, go tend to the others." The Wizard blew a puff of smoke in her face dismissively.

"Your face is frozen." She studied the blue tip of his nose. "You should have let me open the path."

"And have the rest of the Fellowship slip on ice?" he shook his head. Ruby scrunched up her nose but said nothing. "And be careful." He warned in a low voice. "You weren't able to protect yourself from the cold with your scales, you might very well have a cold. Make some tea with this." He pulled a pouch from his pack. "Serve the others too, they look like they need the medicine too, before any of us fall ill and the quest is hindered."

Ruby nodded and rose, making her way back to the fire and taking a kettle and a bucket from Bill's packs that were on the floor. Sam was taking care of the pony as she opened the cave a little to collect a bucket of snow. She closed it again, shivering against the cold gust of wind and set the bucket near the fire to melt, also filling the kettle and mixing in the herbs Gandalf had given her.

"How do you do it so easily?" Legolas was sitting cross-legged, her blanket around his shoulders.

"Do what?" she sat by him.

"Manipulate the elements." He watched as she shivered and rubbed her nose.

"Years of practice. Why are you looking at me like that?" she eyed him suspiciously.

"You're sick." He stated.

"I'm fine." She grunted as she rose to serve the tea. When she came back, she was holding the last two cups, handing one to Legolas and keeping the other to herself. They drank in silence, listening to the fire. Legolas sighed in annoyance as Ruby shivered for what seemed like the hundredth time. He unwrapped his right arm from the blanket and wrapped her shoulders in it. She said nothing, but snuggled to his side.

"Ruby?" a small voice spoke up. Ruby, who was almost falling asleep on Legolas' shoulder, jolted awake.

"Yes, Pippin?" she straightened up, much to the dismay of Legolas.

"Will you sing us a song?"

"I can't sing very well, Pippin."

"Come on, every girl can sing!"

Only Gandalf understood why she stiffened and paled even further at those words, for he was present when they were first spoken to her. Memories of two brothers flooded her mind and she breathed deeply to calm herself.

"Perhaps a story?" Gandalf came to her aid.

"Alright." She said after taking a moment to calm down. "In my travels, I visited far off places, each with its own lore, history and religion. One of these stories, is called The Beggar Prince. It is the story of Wheedle and his gifts from the Daedric Lord Namira." She moistened her lips and began:

* * *

 _Translations:_

 _Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse! Nai yarvaxea rasselya! - Wake up cruel Redhorn! May your horn be bloodstained!_

 _Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith! - Sleep Caradhras, be still, lie still, hold your wrath!_

 _Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse! Nai yarvaxea rasselya taltuva notto-carinnar! - Wake up cruel Redhorn! May your bloodstained horn fall upon enemy heads!_

 _In Gondor, the chief currency was the Castar; a small silver coin known as the Tharni was worth one-fourth of a Castar._

 _Monah - mother_


	12. Chapter 12

_This is a very short chapter, and it does not belong to Tolkien's universe. I got it off a book while playing Skyrim. It has nothing to do with the story, and it is not my original work, so if you want to skip it, you won't miss anything major. But it's fun nonetheless, so if you like, I'll keep posting my favourite Skyrim stories._

* * *

"We look down upon the beggars of the Empire. These lost souls are the poor and wretched of the land. Every city has its beggars. Most are so poor they have only the clothes on their backs. They eat the scraps the rest of us throw out. We toss them a coin so that we don't have to think too long about their plight.

Imagine my surprise when I heard the tale of the Beggar Prince. I could not imagine what a Prince of Beggars would be. Here is the tale I heard. It takes place in the first age, when Gods walked like Men and Daedra stalking the wilderness with impunity. It is a time before they were all confined to Oblivion.

There once was a Man named Wheedle. Or maybe it was a Woman. The story goes to great lengths to avoid declaring Wheedle's gender. Wheedle was the 13th child of a King in Valenwood. As such Wheedle was in no position to take the throne or even inherit much property or wealth.

Wheedle had left the palace to find independent fortune and glory. After many days of endless forest roads and tiny villages, Wheedle came upon a three Men surrounding a beggar. The beggar was swaddled in rags from head to toe. No portion of the vagabond's body was visible. The Men were intent on slaying the beggar.

With a cry of rage and indignation, Wheedle charged the Men with sword drawn. Being simple townsfolk, armed only with pitchforks and scythes, they immediately fled from the armoured figure with the shining sword.

"Many thanks for saving me," wheezed the beggar from beneath the heap of foul rags. Wheedle could barely stand the stench.

"What is your name, wretch?" Wheedle asked.

"I am Namira."

Unlike the townsfolk, Wheedle was well learned. That name meant nothing to them, but to Wheedle it was an opportunity.

"You are the Daedric Lord!" Wheedle exclaimed. "Why did you allow those men to harass you? You could have slain them all with a whisper."

"I am pleased you recognized me," Namira rasped. "I am frequently reviled by townsfolk. It pleases me to be recognized for my attribute, if not for my name."

Wheedle knew that Namira was the Daedric Lord of all thing gross and repulsive. Diseases such as leprosy and gangrene were her domain. Where others might have seen danger, Wheedle saw opportunity.

"Oh, great Namira, let me apprentice myself to you. I ask only that you grant me powers to make my fortune and forge a name for myself that will live through the ages."

"Nay. I make my way alone in the world. I have no need for an apprentice."

Namira shambled off down the road. Wheedle would not be put off. With a bound, Wheedle was at Namira's heel, pressing the case for an apprenticeship. For 33 days and nights, Wheedle kept up the debate. Namira said nothing, but Wheedle's voice was ceaseless. Finally, on the 33rd day, Wheedle was too hoarse to talk.

Namira looked back on the suddenly silent figure. Wheedle knelt in the mud at her feet, open hands raised in supplication.

"It would seem you have completed your apprenticeship to me after all," Namira declared. "I shall grant your request."

Wheedle was overjoyed.

"I grant you the power of disease. You may choose to be afflicted with any disease you choose, changing them at will, so long as it has visible symptoms. However, you must always bear at least one."

"I grant you the power of pity. You may evoke pity in anyone that sees you."

"Finally, I grant you the power of disregard. You may cause others to disregard your presence."

Wheedle was aghast. These were not boons from which a fortune could be made. They were curses, each awful in its own right, but together they were unthinkable.

"How am I to make my fortune and forge a name for myself with these terrible gifts?"

"As you begged at my feet for 33 days and 33 nights, so shall you now beg for your fortune in the cities of Men. Your name will become legendary among the beggars of Tamriel. The story of Wheedle, the Prince of Beggars, shall be handed down throughout the generations."

It was as Namira predicted. Wheedle was an irresistible beggar. None could see the wretch without desperately wanting to toss a coin at the huddled form. However, Wheedle also discovered that the power of disregard gave great access to the secrets of the realms. People unknowingly said important things where Wheedle could hear them. Wheedle grew to know the comings and goings of every citizen in the city.

To this day, it is said that if you really want to know something, go ask the beggars. They have eyes and ears throughout the cities. They know all the little secrets of the daily lives of its citizens." Ruby finished her story, the Fellowship blinking in thought.


	13. Chapter 13

_Back to the main story. Please let me know if you want more tales from Skyrim. Reviews are love!_

* * *

"Aye, for a few coins, or a warm meal, much can be learned from a beggar. Many a time I found myself in need of information, and the most reliable source is the gutter." Aragorn nodded.

"Where is this empire called Valenwood?" Boromir spoke up. "And who is this Lord Daedra? I have never heard such names."

"Valenwood is not an Empire, Boromir." Ruby shook her head. "It is a province of the Empire of Tamriel."

"Tamriel?" He frowned. "Are you making this up for the sake of the story?"

"No." Ruby nearly laughed. "It is a very faraway place. Tamriel cannot be found on any map in all of Arda." Ruby smiled at the Man.

"Then how do you know of it? How did you travel there?"

"I think it is best if we all retire for the night." Aragorn cut in.

"Aye, else we'll be listening for days." Gimli added.

"I feel like I am being left out of some important information." Boromir started to get angry.

"Peace, Boromir." Gandalf rose from his spot by the wall and walked over to a soft earth mound. "Ruby, I believe here we are as safe as we'll ever be on this quest. It might be wise to tell our fellow what he is travelling with." Ruby nodded and looked back to a confused and slightly enraged Boromir.

"How much do you know about Dragons?" she asked.

"What does this have to do wi—" Boromir's already thin patience was evaporating quickly.

"Just answer the question." Ruby interrupted.

"Not much." He said after a moment. "Big, scaly, firebreathing beasts. Gold-hoarders, maiden-devourers, settlement-destroyers...why is this important?"

Instead of answering, Ruby kept looking at the Man to see his reaction as her eyes shifted in colour. The golden specks bled over the chestnut and green, taking over her irises. As the deep pools of molten gold darkened, so did the skin around her eyes, millions of minuscule scales grew from under her skin and covered her body in an armour so dark and shiny, the man thought to be looking in a black mirror. Ruby kept the scales at a minimum, only letting it cover her face and neck. If she let it cover her whole body and let her Heat rise she might burn off her clothes and would probably bake the Fellowship inside the cave. Also, her horns were never socially accepted. She didn't want to frighten the Man and the Hobbits with her appearance.

"Not all Dragons are such calamities as you described." She said, her voice an octave lower in this form. Boromir's expression was a mixture of awe, fear and incredibility. "I hope you will respect our decision to keep this a secret from the enemy." She watched as he nodded dumbly. "Do I frighten you?" she tilted her head to the side. Just to irk the Man further, she let a long, forked tongue slide past her lips and taste the air.

"I will not lie, if I had not seen the transformation before my eyes I would not hesitate in attacking you the moment I saw you." He seemed to ponder for a moment. "I would probably be burned to a crisp within a few moments, though." Ruby laughed at him.

' _It's funny because it's true._ ' She thought as she shifted back to her human appearance.

"But I must say, knowing you are on our side makes me feel safer." He bowed his head to her. At Pippin's yawn, he straightened. "Thank you for confiding in me. I shall keep this secret with honour and respect. Let us turn in for the night, for tomorrow awaits."

"Yes, we must rest, for Caradhras still rages on outside, and we must face it on the morrow." Aragorn agreed. There was a collective groan as the Fellowship settled down to sleep. Ruby stood, bidding good night to Legolas and made her way to Aragorn, who scooted over a bit to make room for her on the soft mound of earth he had claimed for himself.

" _Vir los hi pruvos?_ " she asked him as she cuddled into his side.

" _Krah ahrk laagus_." He answered. " _Zu'u lor hi bo wah fey voth_ Legolas _dahvulon_."

" _Fahvos fund Zu'u dreh tol_?"

" _Hi fon hahvaas voth ok haas._ " She could see him trying to hide a smile.

" _Do rahlo Zu'u los hahvaas._ _Rok lost nid grudiik riived_." Why was she explaining herself to him? She huffed at the look he was giving her and turned around. The Man merely chuckled and hugged her close to his chest, relishing in her Heat.

Boromir studied them. He knew the Man was courting a maiden Elf in Rivendell, but the way he embraced the petite girl was not sexual in any way. He knew they were not family, having just found out her race, but they were obviously familiar with each other.

Legolas had his eyes closed, but his ears sharpened as he heard his name. His _Dovahzul_ was very limited, so he did not understand their conversation, but he shrugged it off in favour of burying his nose in the extra blanket Ruby had lent him. It had a peculiar smell. Or, rather, a mixture of smells. He focused on sorting them out.

Breathing in, he first made out the earthy scent of the forest. He visualized tall trees, older than the first Races, babbling brooks, flowing with clear magical waters and an endless star-filled sky, doming over a safe haven, built over decades with the power of the earthen element.

The second breath he took, he could clearly make out the notes of the sweet tobacco she liked to smoke as she pondered over various things. She had picked up the habit from the Wizard, and, just like him, often lost herself in thought as she puffed away small clouds of burnt weed.

Next, and this was the most prominent smell, was her own scent, impregnated between the fibres of the blanket. Her homemade soap, a mixture of night-blooming cestrums, pomegranates, and lemons was pleasant, but barely enough to cover up her own, personal scent. Legolas breathed in deeply once again, burying his nose in the fabric, concentrating on going past all those other crude smells to be able to inhale the rough scent left behind by her skin. She smelled like the wild, like the hunt, like an adventure: Sweat, wind, blood, burnt wood, and sharpened metal.

Unbeknownst to him, his mind slipped into the sleep-like trance Elves were accustomed to.

At first he thought he was dreaming of Caradhras, but he soon discarded the possibility as he saw many other mountains, all covered in snow and strong against a tireless onslaught of wind. Places he had never been before flashed across his mind's eye as he seemed to soar above ruins of ancient settlements, little villages, protected cities, temples, farms, all crawling with life, so many different races he never knew existed, strange animals and creatures, living, diseased and spiritual, all beyond his knowledge.

He jolted awake as he felt a hand grasping his shoulder firmly and shaking. He stared back at the alarmed faces of the Fellowship and saw Aragorn was the one kneeling by him and calling out to him.

"Legolas?" he called once more. "Are you well?"

"Why would I not be?" he asked as he sat up, Ruby's blanket falling off him.

"My friend, we have been trying to wake you for nearly two hours." Aragorn still looked concerned.

"I assure you, I am well." Legolas jumped slightly as another hand touched his neck. As he turned his head to see its owner, it moved to his forehead. "I am not feverish, _Mîruin_."

"Indeed." She muttered, studying him. At first, she thought he had caught whatever it was she had last night, but her Heat burned it out throughout the night. She looked him once over, he was not trembling, nor sweating, nor seemed to pose any difficulties in moving as he stood. She blocked his path as he tried to move and looked up at him, her multi-coloured eyes boring into his own blue orbs. "You saw something." It was not a question. At his lack of answer she gently grabbed his forearm to keep him from walking away. The rest of the Fellowship was busy packing up their camp, seeing as he was well. Only she and Gandalf remained. "What did you see?"

"It was only a dream, _Mîruin_." He shook his head.

"Legolas, you are still a young _Ellon_ , your powers are only just beginning to grow." Gandalf tried to reason with him. "You might have the Sight, but we cannot know if you do not tell us." Sighing, the Elf described his vision. As he talked, Ruby's mouth dropped slowly open and her eyes widened.

"You saw _Tamriel_?" she asked breathlessly.

"What? No, Ruby, Tauriel has passed. She faded after..." Legolas stopped talking at the hurt expression on her face.

"I know." Ruby tried to rid herself of the memories. "No, I said _Tamriel_." She shook her head.

"We are ready." Boromir called. The three of them looked back at the Fellowship as saw they were packed and bundled to face the cold once again.

"This will have to wait until the next time we make camp." Gandalf looked once more between the two of them and ushered Ruby to open the cave door. As she did so, he turned to Frodo. "You now have to choose our course, Ringbearer."

"I have pondered overnight." Frodo spoke hesitantly after a moment. "We will go through the mines." He said as firmly as he could.

"So be it." Gandalf sighed. Ruby would be lying if she said that she was not a little happy, if not apprehensive, to visit a Dwarven city.

* * *

 _Translations:_

 _Tamriel - Tamriel is to Skyrim as Arda is to Middle Earth._

 _Vir los hi pruvos? - How are you feeling?_

 _Krah ahrk laagus. - Cold and tired._

 _Zu'u lor hi bo wah fey voth Legolas dahvulon. - I thought you were going to stay with Legolas tonight._

 _Fahvos fund Zu'u dreh tol? - Why would I do that?_

 _Hi fon hahvaas voth ok haas. - You seemed concerned with his health._

 _Do rahlo Zu'u los hahvaas. Rok lost nid grudiik riived. - Of course I am concerned. He has no thicker clothing._


	14. Chapter 14

As the Fellowship walked along the walls towards the West Gate of Moria, Gandalf halted and waited for Frodo.

"Frodo, come and help an old man." He called. As the Hobbit aided the Wizard in walking, they shared quiet words as the rest of the Fellowship passed them.

Ruby stood by Boromir as Gimli gasped in awe when they reached a turn in the path.

"The walls of Moria!" They continued to walk along the walls. "Dwarf doors are invisible when closed."

"Yes, Gimli," Gandalf explained. "their own masters cannot find them if their secrets are forgotten."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas muttered. Gimli growled under his breath at the elf, but even he was ignorant to Moria's secrets. How his cousin Balin managed to enter was a mystery to him.

They arrived at a lake while touching and inspecting the walls for cracks, crevices, levers, buttons, handles, anything that would lead to an entrance, but the stone was as smooth as glass. Suddenly, Gandalf uttered a faint "Aha!" and dusted the wall off. Thin lines were engraved in the stone.

"Well, let's see. _Ithildin._ It mirrors only starlight and moonlight." He looked up at the cloudy sky. "Ruby, a little help, if you please."

The _Dovah_ extended her arm to where the Moon's beams shone faintly though the clouds and a strong wind bore them away, allowing the silver gleam to reach the walls. Slowly, a doorway shone into view.

"It reads 'The doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter.'" Gandalf translated.

"What do you suppose that means?" Merry wondered.

"Oh it's quite simple." The Wizard nodded. "If you are a friend you speak the password and the doors will open." He put the tip of his staff against a silver star in the middle of the doorway and with a clear voice, uttered: " _Annon Edhellen edro hi ammen!_ " Nothing happened. He stepped back and rose his arms. " _Fennas Nogothrim lasto beth lammen!_ "

The Fellowship looked at one another and shrugged. Legolas glanced down to Pippin, who shook his head.

"Nothing's happening." The Hobbit stated the obvious. Gandalf ignored him in favour of pushing the door.

"I once knew every spell in all the tongues of the Elves, Men, and Orcs." Gandalf sighed. Ruby was right. He was getting old.

"What are you going to do, then?" Pippin asked.

"Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took!" Came the sudden, harsh reply. "And if that does not shatter them and I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions, I will try to find the opening words."

Aragorn was with Sam, taking care of Bill's packs and setting the pony free. Merry and Pippin were smoking by the Lake's edge, Ruby and Boromir were puffing on their own pipes, sitting on gnarled roots, Legolas was ever watchful and Frodo thought along with Gandalf.

Merry threw a stone into the water. Pippin was about to as well, but Aragorn stopped him in time.

"Do not disturb the water." The Ranger said, eyeing the dark ripples. In the meantime, Gandalf was just giving up and throwing his staff on the ground by Frodo.

"Oh, it's useless!" he sat down. Ruby's head snapped from the sulking Wizard to look at the water. Had she heard something? She rose to stand by Aragorn, Boromir right behind her watching the water. There. A movement. Ruby grabbed Aragorn's wrist and pulled him behind her. Boromir frowned in confusion at the gesture, but stayed quiet as they heard Frodo spring up from his seat as if something popped into his head.

"It's a riddle." He said. "'Speak "friend" and enter.' What's the Elvish word for 'friend'?" he turned to Gandalf.

" _Mellon._ " The Wizard replied. They watched, amazed at the stone doors opening slowly. Everyone turned in surprise and started to enter Moria, Ruby, Aragorn and Boromir still glancing suspiciously at the water.

"Soon master Elf you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves. Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone!" Gimli boasted loudly. "This, my friend, is the home of my cousin Balin. And they call it a mine. A mine!"

If Ruby were in her true form, her scales would be on end. Something was not right.

"This is no mine. It's a tomb." Boromir spoke her thoughts.

"Oh!" Gimli looked around, kneeling by one of his kin. "No! Nooo!"

Legolas knelt and pulled an arrow from the body of a fallen Dwarf, looking at it carefully, then throwing it away in disgust.

"Goblins!" he hissed as he nocked an arrow to his bow. Aragorn and Boromir drew out their swords.

"We make for the Gap of Rohan. We should never have come here." Boromir was seething. They should have listened to him. Ruby could smell the panic in the air starting to grow as the Hobbits backed away towards the door. "Now get out of here! Get out!"

Everyone headed for the exit. Suddenly Frodo was grabbed from behind and pulled out of the cave by a tentacle wrapped around his ankle. The Hobbits yelled for help and started hacking at the slimy appendage. Sam managed to cut off the tentacle, but many others came out of the water, hitting the other Hobbits aside and grabbing Frodo again, pulling him into the air, dangling upside down.

Everything seemed to happen in a blur after that. Legolas shot arrow after arrow at the tentacles. Boromir and Aragorn rushed to the water with their swords. Frodo was being flung around in the air. Boromir sliced the tentacle holding Frodo, who fell into the Man's arms. Ruby willed the water to press down upon the creature, allowing Aragorn and Boromir to retreat towards the cave.

"Into the Mines!" Gandalf called.

Legolas shot an arrow into the creature's eye. It pulled back just enough for them to race into Moria. No longer in the water, Ruby could do nothing to stop its advance. The strong appendages reached out and slammed on the stone, making the doorway crash in on itself. It was all Ruby could do to make sure no stones fell on any of the Fellowship.

Total darkness and silence fell. Then, a faint beam of light emitted from Gandalf's staff, showing the startled faces of the Fellowship. Ruby quickly counted heads.

"We now have but one choice." Gandalf said gravely. "We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world." The Fellowship carefully made their way over the obstacles and up the steps. "Quietly now. It's a four-day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed." Aragorn picked up a torch and held it out silently to Ruby, who lit it with a small flame at the tip of her finger.

* * *

 _Translations:_

 _Annon Edhellen edro hi ammen" - Gate of the Elves open now for me!_

 _Fennas Nogothrim lasto beth lammen! - Doorway of the Dwarf-folk listen to the word of my tongue!_


	15. Chapter 15

They followed Gandalf in a single file for a few hours when the Wizard broke the silence by running his hand over the walls.

"The wealth of Moria was not in gold or jewels – but Mithril." He shone his light into a vast mine below. Everyone stared in wonder at it. Pippin held Merry back from getting too close to the edge. "Bilbo had a shirt of Mithril rings that Thorin gave him." Ruby smiled bitterly at the memory.

"Oh, that was a kingly gift!" Gimli mused.

"Yes. I never told him, but its worth was greater than the value of the Shire." Gandalf mused.

They finally found sure footing in a small platform, flanked by walls on two sides. It was visually exposed, though easily defendable. They set a watch, consisting of Aragorn and Legolas, then Ruby and Boromir, then finally Gimli and Gandalf.

They risked a small fire, but only to cook a thin broth, as they were afraid to lure anything out of the darkness with the smell of food. Ruby managed some dry moss for their beds. She wasn't satisfied with it, but it was better than the stone floor. They lay with their eyes open, too tired to sit, but too winded to sleep. Pippin's small voice echoed horribly against the walls as he whispered:

"Ruby? Don't you have another story from Tamriel?" Ruby waited for the echoes to cease, then, with a softer vice, that was still clearly heard, but echoed little, she started.

"This story is called 'Chance's Folly'. It was told to me by a Breton named Zylmoc Golge.

'By the time she was sixteen, Minevah Iolos had been an unwelcome guest in every shop and manor in Balmora. Sometimes, she would take everything of value within; other times, it was enough to experience the pure pleasure of finding a way past the locks and traps. In either situation, she would leave a pair of dice in a prominent location as her calling card to let the owners know who had burgled them. The mysterious ghost became known to the locals as Chance.

A typical conversation in Balmora at this time:

"My dear, whatever happened to that marvelous necklace of yours?"

"My dear, it was taken by Chance."

The only time when Chance disliked her hobby was when she miscalculated, and she came upon an owner or a guard. So far, she had never been caught, or even seen, but dozens of times she had uncomfortably close encounters. There came a day when she felt it was time to expand her reach. She considered going to Vivec or Gnisis, but one night at the Eight Plates, she heard a tale of the Heran Ancestral Tomb, an ancient tomb filled with traps and possessing hundreds of years of the Heran family treasures.

The idea of breaking the spell of the Heran Tomb and gaining the fortune within appealed to Chance, but facing the guardians was outside of her experience. While she was considering her options, she saw Ulstyr Moresby sitting at a table nearby, by himself as usual. He was huge brute of a Breton who had a reputation as a gentle eccentric, a great warrior who had gone mad and paid more attention to the voices in his head than to the world around him.

If she must have a partner in this enterprise, Chance decided, this man would be perfect. He would not demand or understand the concept of getting an equal share of the booty. If worse came to worse, he would not be missed if the inhabitants of the Heran Tomb were too much for him. Or if Chance found his company tiresome and elected to leave him behind.

"Ulstyr, I don't think we've ever met, but my name is Minevah," she said, approaching the table. "I'm fancying a trip to the Heran Ancestral Tomb. If you think you could handle the monsters, I could take care of unlocking doors and popping traps. What do you think?"

The Breton took a moment to reply, as if considering the counsel of the voices in his head. Finally he nodded his head in the affirmative, mumbling, "Yes, yes, yes, prop a rock, hot steel. Chitin. Walls beyond doors. Fifty-three. Two months and back."

"Splendid," said Chance, not the least put off by his rambling. "We'll leave early tomorrow."

When Chance met Ulstyr the next morning, he was wearing chitin armour and had armed himself with an unusual blade that glowed faintly of enchantment. As they began their trek, she tried to engage him in conversation, but his responses were so nonsensical that she quickly abandoned the attempts. A sudden rainstorm swelled over the plain, dousing them, but as she was wearing no armour and Ulstyr was wearing slick chitin, their progress was not impeded.

Into the dark recesses of the Heran Tomb, they delved. Her instincts had been correct—they made very good partners.

She recognized the ancient snap-wire traps, deadfalls, and brittle backs before they were triggered, and cracked all manners of lock: simple tumbler, combination, twisted hasp, double catch, varieties from antiquity with no modern names, rusted heaps that would have been dangerous to open even if one possessed the actual key.

Ulstyr for his part slew scores of bizarre fiends, the likes of which Chance, a city girl, had never seen before. His enchanted blade's spell of fire was particularly effective against the Frost Atronachs. He even saved her when she lost her footing and nearly plummeted into a shadowy crack in the floor. "Not to hurt thyself," he said, his face showing genuine concern. "There are walls beyond doors and fifty-three. Drain ring. Two months and back. Prop a rock. Come, Mother Chance."

Chance had not been listening to much of Ulstyr's babbling, but when he said "Chance," she was startled. She had introduced herself to him as Minevah. Could it be that the peasants were right, and that when mad men spoke, they were talking to the Daedra Prince Sheogorath who gave them advice and information beyond their ken? Or was it rather, more sensibly, that Ulstyr was merely repeating what he heard tell of in Balmora where in recent years "Chance" had become synonymous with lockpicking?

As the two continued on, Chance thought of Ulstyr's mumblings. He had said "chitin" when they met as if it had just occurred to him, and the chitin armour that he wore had proven useful. Likewise, "hot steel". What could "walls beyond doors" mean? Or "two months and back"? What numbered "fifty-three"?

The notion that Ulstyr possessed secret knowledge about her and the tomb they were in began to unnerve Chance. She made up her mind then to abandon her companion once the treasure had been found. He had cut through the living and undead guardians of the dungeon: if she merely left by the path they had entered, she would be safe without a defender.

One phrase he said made perfect sense to her: "drain ring." At one of the manors in Balmora, she had picked up a ring purely because she thought it was pretty. It was not until later that she discovered that it could be used to sap other people's vitality. Could Ulstyr be aware of this? Would he be taken by surprise if she used it on him?

She formulated her plan on how best to desert the Breton as they continued down the hall. Abruptly the passage ended with a large metal door, secured by a golden lock. Using her pick, Chance snapped away the two tumblers and bolt, and swung the door open. The treasure of the Heran Tomb was within.

Chance quietly slipped her glove off her hand, exposing the ring as she stepped into the room. There were fifty-three bags of gold within. As she turned, the door closed between her and the Breton. On her side, it did not resemble a door anymore, but a wall. Walls beyond doors. For many days, Chance screamed and screamed, as she tried to find a way out of the room. For some days after that, she listened dully to the laughter of Sheogorath within her own head. Two months later, when Ulstyr returned, she was dead. He used a rock to prop open the door and remove the gold."

As she finished the story, Aragorn frowned at her.

"Don't you have any stories that don't involve tragedies?" he hissed quietly.

"What's wrong laddie?" Gimli snickered. "Afraid of a story?"

"I can't believe I had to grow up with this..." the Man muttered, ignoring Gimli's comment.

"I seem to remember a little boy who would refuse to go to bed unless I told him a ghost story," Ruby smirked at the red hue rising on the base of Aragorn's throat. "who would then proceed to crawl into my bed in the middle of the night in fear." Boromir disguised a laugh with a cough.

"Yes, well," Aragorn cleaned out his pipe furiously, trying to be as quiet as possible. "I'm grown now—"

"But you still don't comb your hair properly." Ruby interrupted him. The Fellowship went to extents so as to muffle their laughs in their fists and blankets.

"Enough, before you all call attention to us." Gandalf scolded. They settled down, Aragorn and Legolas on opposite sides of the camp to keep watch.


	16. Chapter 16

_Get ready for some Dovahzul overdose!_

* * *

Ruby awoke with Aragorn shaking her shoulder unnecessarily roughly. She merely scrunched up her nose playfully at his scowl and let him take her bed of dry moss while it was still warm. He shuffled around and lay with his back to her. Chuckling softly, she bent over his shoulder and kissed his cheek. Standing, she made her way to Boromir, who offered her a sip of his wine flask.

"Did you know the Ranger when he was a child?" he asked as quietly as his deep voice allowed. He still found it difficult to believe that this girl was probably older than the Elf. Before answering, she took a small gulp of wine and handed his flask back to him.

"He's my son, Boromir." She nearly choked on her attempt of stifling her laughter at the look on his face.

"I recall now, on the mountain, he called you...?"

" _Monah_. It means 'mother' in _Dovahzul_. That is the language of the Dragons."

"Does that mean that he is also a Dragon? Or half-Dragon?" Boromir saw her shoulders sag slightly.

"I should have explained better. He's not from my own womb." She rubbed at her scar. Boromir scolded himself for his prying questions. She shuffled away after a quick smile at him and started her watch. Boromir saw Aragorn shift and look at Ruby sitting on a rock with her back to the Fellowship, smoking her pipe and overlooking two bridges in the deep. Boromir pretended not to notice as the other Man stood and made his way to her. The silence made it difficult for him to ignore their conversation, but he couldn't understand a word of their strange language anyway.

' _Dovahzul, it was called._ ', he remembered.

"Ruby?" Aragorn approached her. " _Fahvos los luvmah?_ "

" _Nii los nid, kiir, bo rigir wah laag_." She sniffed quietly and smiled at him.

" _Hi lost pruzaan monah kiir vust laan fah._ _To nu Zu'u los naram Jul, Zu'u los gein do rinik lith wo los tul kog voth nuvah do monah. Zu'u mindok hi krosik fah kiir do hin meyar kiinvost, nuz Zu'u kuz maruv genazend wah ni lost lost wah ofun hi voth soskiin._ " Aragorn wrapped his arms around her, feeling her return his tight embrace.

" _Hi unstiid lost renek niislahriiv naanven_..." she half laughed, half sobbed.

" _Ahrk wen tozein los tol?_ " he smiled at the weak slap he received to the arm.

" _Praan nu, dii mal yunkliin._ "

" _Fen hi mirodah wah zey_?" he sat by her feet and rested his head on her thighs, letting her trace her fingers slowly through the tangles in his hair.

Boromir listened to the silence after they stopped talking and wondered at what had been said. Then, ever so quietly, Ruby began to sing. At first Boromir scrunched his nose up at her voice, but then he remembered seeing a scar on her throat. He slowly started to appreciate the rough tone. It was not the ringing bell of a woman's voice, but it had its own grace and beauty.

The Fellowship, who could not catch a proper shut eye, and merely napped for short minutes at a time, listened to the slow lullaby.

" _Shir kaviir, dii ogiir naram...nir hi..._

 _Ahrk frod do od...fund ni fon ful saak, waan hi mindok..._

 _tol daar sos nau dii rax, los gut ustiid kirt..._

 _Ahrk Zu'u lost poltor hi ont, nuz nii lost ni peh viilt..._

 _Ful Zu'u fun hi...tol hi fen kos tirahk voth zey._ "

She hummed a sad, and slightly unsettling melody that went with the uttered words, combing her fingers through Aragorn's hair. The Fellowship felt a shiver run down their spines, and it was not caused by the chill of the stone, or the empty atmosphere of the mines.

" _Oo kaviir, dii jusk los zurdon nu ful dreh ni kos zofaas..._

 _Zu'u vis dein hi faadus, ol lingrah ol hi vis nunon unt...wah kos kril!_

 _Geh Zu'u mindok Zu'u los grohiik, ahrk Zu'u lost kosaan mindok wah fiit,_

 _Nuz praan do dii tah...Zu'u lost vahlt niin undin..._

 _Ahrk dii rax aal kos kinzon, ahrk Zu'u lost kosaan wahlaan wah krii..._

 _Nuz lor do mahyun sliin...nii los wahl zey kras!_

 _Ful Zu'u fun hi...tol hi fen kos tirahk voth zey._ "

As she hummed the refrain, they noticed how the second part of the song had them feeling safer, though still alert. Did her language have some kind of power when spoken aloud?

" _Ful kaviir, lig dreh ni frolok hond..._

 _Nii los krah tir til...ful fahvos ni fey het, neben dii wahrok...?_ "

As her hums faded into the empty darkness, the Fellowship finally managed to fall asleep. Even Boromir had slumped against the stone.

After Ruby had watched over the Fellowship during her watch, and the next, she woke them gently, one by one. Aragorn, who had slept cocooned in warmth with his back against Ruby's legs and his head under her fingers, woke with a smile on his face. He stood, stretched, and accepted a kiss on the cheek and her fingers scratching lovingly though his beard before he went though his morning routine. Boromir, who had slept sitting, had a stiff neck, and groaned as he woke. He was extremely ashamed to have fallen asleep on his watch, as was Gimli for not waking up to relieve her of her post. They apologised profusely to her, who hastily shushed them, as both their deep voices were ricocheting off the walls. Gandalf merely scolded her for making them sleep so deeply in such a dangerous place, but she could see the dark rings under his eyes had faded considerably, and so had Frodo's. The Hobbits were ecstatic to find out that _Dovahzul_ words had powers, and asked excitedly (and as quietly as they could) to be taught a few.

"Little ones, you cannot hope to achieve much with a few words. And if you do not have the strength to wield them, you will drain yourselves. Magic is a dangerous weapon." She explained as she hoisted her small pack on her shoulder.

"Is it really that dangerous?" Merry turned to Gandalf, as he expected that the Wizard would know more about the topic.

"Very." It was Legolas who answered them. "I remember this one time, when Ruby fell unconscious and slept for a week."

"What happened?" Pippin asked aghast. He could not imagine a week without food.

"One of my teachers pushed me too hard, and being the stubborn hard-head that I am, I crossed my own limits." She frowned at the memory.

"Father was so concerned, it bordered on panic." Legolas mused.

"Really?" Ruby could hardly believe Thranduil could express any emotion other than haughty derision.

"I was not aware of this. I must have a talk with Thranduil when I get the chance." Gandalf's eyes glowered, not unlike Ruby's when she got mad. His were only short of turning red.

"Gandalf, really, that's not necessary, it's been decades since th—" Ruby shook her head and stepped forward to calm him, but quickly interrupted herself when she saw the look on the Wizard's face. She raised her hands in the universal 'I surrender' gesture and backed away.

* * *

 _Translations:_

 _Fahvos los luvmah? - Why are you crying?_

 _Nii los nid, kiir, bo rigir wah laag. - It is nothing, child, go back to sleep._

 _Hi lost pruzaan monah kiir vust laan fah. To nu Zu'u los naram Jul, Zu'u los gein do rinik lith wo los tul kog voth nuvah do monah. Zu'u mindok hi krosik fah kiir do hin meyar kiinvost, nuz Zu'u kuz maruv genazend wah ni lost lost wah ofun hi voth soskiin. - You were the best mother a child could ask for. Though now I am a grown Man, I am one of the very few who are still blessed with the presence of a mother. I know you yearn for a child of your own womb, but I take selfish pleasure to not have had to share you with siblings._

 _Hi unstiid lost renek niislahriiv naanven... - You always were a spoiled brat anyways..._

 _Ahrk wen tozein los tol? - And whose fault is that?_

 _Praan nu, dii mal yunkliin. - Rest now, my little hatchling._

 _Fen hi mirodah wah zey? - Will you sing to me?_

 _The song is 'I Know I'm a Wolf' by Young Heretics. I have roughly translated it to Dovahzul. The video I recommend you to see is (no spaces) www . youtube watch ? v = cGdou7 - YQGQ & list = FLyHOlDViwjFyb3iNpqZb _ 3Q_


	17. Chapter 17

_Thank you all for the Favourites and Follows, and the wonderful Reviews!_

* * *

They had walked for hours, well past what the Hobbits deemed was lunchtime. Ruby and Gimli seemed disheartened at the sight of the ruined mines, even though Gimli had never been to Moria, and Ruby had only fleetingly seen old maps of its grandeur. The silence seemed to press down on them from all sides, their own steps seemed like a thundering herd echoing in the darkness.

Finally, Gandalf granted them a short break to rest and eat. They did not start a fire, their only light coming from Gandalf's staff and Aragorn's torch. Being so long in the darkness, it seemed more than enough for them to be able to see, even if the ring of light only reached to about a foot or two beyond their camp. Ruby chewed on a piece of bread, promising to gorge herself on a good hunt when they got out of the mines.

The rest of the day went by quietly, and they were thoroughly bored at not being able to talk too much to each other. When the weariness caught up with them, Aragorn managed to find a room, out of sight and easily defendable. They made camp, again risking a small fire for their supper and warmth. The first watch was shared between Legolas and Ruby, who sat side by side leaning on the back wall, watching the two exits. They stayed in comfortable silence as Ruby fiddled mindlessly with the tip of her ponytail. She stood and stretched, walking quietly to one of the doors to peer out. She saw Legolas doing the same by the other door. They met in the centre of the room, and, unlike their other companions, who didn't have their heightened hearing and were unable to hear enemies coming from afar, just stood there, enjoying the silence. Legolas saw Ruby's expression change as she remembered something.

"You said that day on Caradhras that you dreamt of Tamriel?" she spoke lowly.

"I don't know where it is I was, but it was nothing like any of the places in Middle Earth I've ever seen." He led the way back to their seats. Ruby sat closer to him, listening to his description of what she was sure she recognized as Tamriel.

"How odd." She looked back at the door. "That seemed like the same dream I had that night."

"Really?" Legolas asked. "Maybe we're connected on a spiritual level." His lips looped into a smirk as he turned his head and looked down at her. She turned her head back and up towards him, their noses inches apart.

"You're so full of _draaf_." She met his smirk with one of her own. The gold specs in her eyes seemed to glitter in the little light of the dying fire, shining almost as if in their own light. Ruby licked her suddenly dry lips and Legolas' gaze snapped to the luscious lips and he wondered if they felt as soft as they looked. Tilting his head further down as she straightened her spine, their faces slowly moved closer. The tips of their noses grazed each other. They were so close, they could count each other's lashes.

Suddenly, a noise made them snap their heads to the entrances and stand in a flash. They stepped quickly, but silently over to the doors and peered into the darkness. Very far away, they spotted a movement. A single being, hunched and skinny, vanished into the darkness. They stood by the entrances for what seemed like hours, but were only minutes. Slowly retreating back to their seats, they sighed, still tense and listening for anything. The only reminder of the moment they almost shared was Legolas' fingers lightly stroking the back of Ruby's hand between them.

When the time came for Gimli and Gandalf to relieve them of their watch, they quietly reported what had happened. After a tense silence, the Dwarf and the Wizard nodded and started their watch as the Elf and the Dragon settled down to sleep. Gimli's bed was taken by Ruby and Gandalf's by Legolas. Ruby reached out a hand and grasped her daggers. Neither slept well that night.

* * *

The third day of their journey started with a fight. Well, as much as they could fight trying to be quiet. Boromir had taken it upon himself to wake Ruby. He knelt by her and touched her shoulder, intending on shaking her lightly. What he didn't expect, was the dagger aimed at his throat. Ruby's eyes were red, her face expressionless. Aragorn instructed Boromir to slowly take his hand from her shoulder before he pulled the other Man away from the danger. Aragorn then proceeded to call out to Ruby in her language. She slowly lowered her dagger and her eyes went back to normal. As soon as she stood and Aragorn seemed relieved, Boromir rounded on her, demanding to know what her problem was, very unaware of the danger he had just put himself in.

The Fellowship watched as Ruby breathed deeply in and seemed to count to ten in her head. Slowly, she turned and began walking away. Before Boromir could do anything, Aragorn quickly explained:

"Ruby has night terrors. Touching her while she is asleep is never a good idea. You should have let her wake on her own, or asked one of us to do it. If you have to wake her, just call her name a few times."

"I was not aware." The Man looked sheepish now. "My Lady please forgive me." He strode to the front of the procession, where Ruby was walking with Gandalf.

"There is nothing to forgive." She said softly, aware of the open space they were in. "And I've asked you to call me by my name."

"I seem only to be taking wrong turns with you." He frowned.

"It is only because you do not know me so well." She smiled at him. "By the end of this journey you will be warning others of me, just as Aragorn is doing to you now." Boromir laughed quietly.

* * *

The hours passed slowly by. Ruby entertained herself by counting how many steps she took. She was interrupted on number 7846 when Legolas walked up to her. She looked up at him and saw him greet her with a silent nod of his head. Her thoughts went back to what had almost happened last night. She buried herself deep in meditation as they trekked on, only keeping track of where she was going and any noise she could hear besides their steps and their breathing.

If they had kissed, what would have happened then? How would they act towards each other? She knew that Legolas had fancied her once, but did he still harbour feelings for her? Did she have feelings for him? She could easily say he was one of her most trusted friends, having known him for centuries. She trusted him with her life, and had been proved correct on many occasions, and vice versa. Flirting had always been a daily occurrence to them whenever they were together, but it always held a hint of a joke. Teasing and suggestive touches had been exchanged habitually, but they had never kissed, last night was the closest they had ever gotten to it. Somehow, Ruby found herself wondering what it would be like to taste his lips. His upper lip was thinner, the same shape as his bow, she remembered musing at it once, but his lower lip had a more pronounced curve to it, almost as if in a permanent pout. She imagined capturing it between her teeth.

Shaking her head to rid her of these thoughts, she noticed him looking quizzically at her. She smiled and shook her head in a flippant manner, and that seemed to appease his curiosity. They walked on, the rest of the Fellowship passing by them as Ruby had stopped to count heads. Satisfied, she and Legolas made up the rear. The path became narrower, and they were forced to walk closer to each other. After a few more minutes they would have to walk in single file, like the rest of the company already was, but for now they were content with the close proximity. At times, the backs of their hands would graze, and every time they felt a tiny jolt run up their arms. As the path narrowed even further, Legolas let his hand rest against hers, and stretched out his fingers, entwining them with Ruby's, their hands linked back to back. Neither of them looked at the other, or changed their expressions, but both hearts were beating faster. As the path no longer allowed them to walk side by side, Legolas slowed his pace to let Ruby walk in front of him. Their hands slowly detangled themselves and dropped to their sides. Ruby glanced over her shoulder at him, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

They didn't have a break that day, the terrain did not allow for one. Their stomachs were growling, their feet were protesting and their backs were sore from carrying their provisions. They entered a great cavern with a walkway through the middle. Climbing slowly up steep steps, their progress was even more tiresome. For a second, Pippin lost his footing and slipped onto Merry.

"Pippin!" Merry knew it wasn't his fault, but they were all cranky from exhaustion. After another flight of stairs, they finally came to a crossroad in the mine: three portals loomed before them.

"I have no memory of this place." Gandalf uttered after looking at the doors. They all groaned. Partly in disappointment at possibly being lost, partly in relief at being able to finally make camp. They sat around the portals, resting, while Gandalf tried to decide which portal to enter. He was sitting on a rock in front of all three, meditating and puffing away at his pipe.

"Are we lost?" Pippin asked.

"No." Merry answered.

"I think we are."

"Shhh! Gandalf's thinking." Sam scolded Pippin, who was able to keep quiet for a total of four seconds.

"Merry?"

"What?" even he was irritated at the amount of noise the other Hobbit was making.

"I'm hungry." Ruby nearly laughed out loud.

Since they weren't going anywhere so soon, they decided to nibble a bit on the last pieces of their bread and a few smoked meats Gimli was saving. Ruby sat by Legolas and smelled at the strip of jerky, which she deemed far too small for her. Oh, how she yearned for a nice, juicy wild boar.

"Are you alright?" she turned her head to Legolas, who was looking at her as if she might scream at any moment.

"Why do you ask?" she frowned in confusion.

"Because you're smelling at your meat and moaning." His lip tugged as he tried to suppress a smile.

"Oh." She looked back down at the piece of dried, salted excuse for a dinner. "I was thinking about decent food." She took a bite. "It's actually not that bad."

Legolas chuckled and turned his head back around to face his own dinner, and winced. Lifting his hand, he rubbed at the back of his neck.

"Are _you_ alright?" Ruby asked back at him.

"Just a little sore." He shrugged, then winced again.

"Hm." She swallowed her last bite. "Not very good for a bowman to have a sore back, now, is it?" she lifted herself up to her knees and shuffled behind him. Legolas already knew not to argue, and, quite honestly, he wouldn't pass up an opportunity to be massaged by her. Ruby sat on her left ankle and extended her right leg to dangle off the side of the steps. Legolas quickly grabbed her thigh in reflex. When she assured him she was firmly in place and would not fall, he relaxed his grip, but did not remove his hand. Ruby didn't mind as she started working out the knots in his muscles.

A platform above, Aragorn and Boromir were smoking with Merry and Pippin, the latter having been appeased with enough food to keep quiet. Boromir looked at the Ranger's reaction to what they were seeing, and was surprised to see him smiling softly at the scene.

Ruby could work out knots in the toughest of muscles, and Legolas was thoroughly enjoying the attention. Every time she would hit a delicate nerve, his hand would squeeze her thigh in warning, and she would work at the muscle meticulously. His hand on her thigh made shivers run up her leg and right to her groin. She even 'accidentally' jostled a few stress points so as to make him grab her leg again. After working out all the knots, she kept on massaging him, softer and softer, until she was just running her hands over his back, caressing the relaxed muscles. His fingers drew patterns on the inside of her thigh, making her sigh contentedly. Sleep was taking over both of them, but they were too close to the edge for comfort. So, removing their hands from each other, they rose and made their way up to the largest platform, where she grew the dry moss for them. Legolas noticed that two of the beds were a little closer to each other than the rest. He made his way to one of them, stepping over the already sleeping forms of the Hobbits , Gimli and Boromir. Aragorn and Gandalf would keep first watch. Ruby made a detour to Aragorn to check on him, but the Ranger quickly assured her of his wellbeing. He nodded over to Legolas and wagged his eyebrows at her, not even bothering to hide his grin. Ruby smacked him lightly on the head and walked away to lie down by Legolas.

Snuggling as well as she could under her blanket, she poked her arm out to check that her daggers were easily accessible. Before she could retract her arm, Legolas' hand shot out and grabbed hers. She watched as he lifted it to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

"Sleep well, _i arad Amlug Heryn_."

"Sweet dreams, _dii venro Feyfahliil Kulaan_." She replied with a tired smile. They pretended not to notice Aragorn's exasperated groan, or to imagine him rolling his eyes at them. Instead, they fell asleep with their fingers entwined.

* * *

 _I am so sorry for whatever mistakes I may have made in this chapter, but while reviewing it, my mind was wandering. I have a job interview next month, and I do hope everything turns out alright, so I apologize for any mistakes that have passed my lacking attention._

* * *

 _Translations:_

 _draaf - shit_

 _i arad Amlug Heryn - my lovely Dragon Lady_

 _dii venro Feyfahliil Kulaan - my handsome Bosmer Prince_

 _Bosmer - Wood Elf_


	18. Chapter 18

_Thank you for all the Favourites and Follows! I tried to get the Balrog out by Halloween, but I was too busy (read:too drunk) to post it in time. So to make up for my untimely delay, I present you an extra long chapter, so you have a lot of topics on which to review. To those of you who don't, I hope you all get a sugar high. Happy belated Halloween, everyone._

* * *

Ruby dreamt of Greenwood. Not _Mirk_ wood. _Green_ wood. The days she spent in the Elvenking's halls, when she could barely make a seed sprout. She dreamt of the first day she had met Legolas. It had been about two weeks since she was already living there, and training with Thranduil had left her tense, angry and depressed. Her frustrations at not being able to move a simple rock were gnawing at her self-esteem. For crying out loud, it weighed less than her shoe! But as much as she concentrated, as much as she followed her teacher's instructions, it. Just. Would. Not. Budge.

She was busy cursing Thranduil under her breath in a language she did not yet know was called _Dovahzul_. Her attention was pulled away from the poor piece of wood she was whittling (more like mutilating) by an _Ellon_ stepping into the clearing.

"Why are you butchering that branch?" he had asked. Ruby studied the Elf. Tall, blond, blue eyes, handsome. Like all of them. She merely sighed and continued stabbing the piece of wood. The Elf did not get the hint and stepped closer. "My father is looking for you."

"And who might your father be?" she sighed.

"Thranduil. You know. Your teacher?" Ruby snapped her eyes back to him. He had his hands behind his back and was slightly bent over to look at the poor excuse of an owl she was trying to shape. He blinked innocently at her, but she could see the mirth twinkling in his eyes.

"So, you're the prince." She looked him up and down as she stood. "I expected you to be taller." She shrugged. The Ellon straightened, but did not seem offended.

"An understandable assumption, seeing as you don't know much about height yourself." Came the witty answer. Ruby grinned languidly up at him. She had been wrong. He was nothing like the other Elves.

* * *

Ruby awoke with a smile on her face. It had been decades since she had a decent night's sleep. She untangled her hand from Legolas' and stretched before looking to her left.

"Good morning." She blinked sleepily at Legolas, who had a confused smile on his face. "What?"

"I've never seen you anything kinder than murderous so soon after waking up." he smirked at her. Ruby stuck her tongue out at him.

"I haven't rested this well for ages. I had a great dream." She sat up and started tying her hair back.

"Tell me." Legolas pulled his pack to him and broke off two pieces of bread for them.

"I remembered the day we met." She frowned for a moment. "And that hideous owl I was carving. I don't even remember what became of it."

"It wasn't so bad." The Elf muttered, not looking at her. Ruby narrowed her eyes at him. The tips of his ears were starting to turn pink. He looked up at her and saw her calculating gaze towards him. Sighing, he plunged his hand in his pack and pulled something out. Ruby gasped as he handed it to her.

The piece of wood was dark and had hardened with age. Ruby turned the rustic owl in her hand. The asymmetrical wings, the uneven number of talons, the ridiculously large tail feathers, the crooked beak and the cross eyed look the hideous little thing was giving her made her imagine that if she ever found an animal like this, she would put it out of its misery. However, the knowledge that Legolas had kept it for over a millennia made her jaw go slack. She looked up at him and saw him peer at her with a look that seemed like he was expecting a negative response. She ran her thumbs over the wood again, cradling it with both hands.

"I can't believe you kept this." She whispered. Legolas stretched his hand and took the statuette back, looking at it fondly.

"This little totem is not particularly pleasing to the eye." Ruby snorted at his wording. "It's far from being finished. It's not even very valuable..." He put it back in his pack. "But it is to me."

Ruby was speechless. Her mouth was still hanging open, and she was still staring disbelievingly at him. He smiled at her. An exhilarating feeling threatened to rise from her chest to her throat and choke her.

"Legolas, that's...I don't...I..." she gave up on words and just kept staring dumbly at him.

"Is she always this articulate when being courted?" They were brutally reminded that they were not alone by Boromir's voice. Ruby felt heat rise to her cheeks as Legolas shook his head and chuckled quietly.

"Hmm..." Aragorn swallowed his mouthful of bread. "Sometimes she even manages full sentences."

"Remind me how articulate you were at your first meeting with Arwen." Ruby shot back at him. Aragorn's cheeks now matched hers.

"Ah! It's that way." Gandalf cut their bickering short. Legolas stood, holding out his hand to help Ruby up.

"He's remembered!" Merry was ecstatic.

"No, but the air doesn't smell so foul down here. If in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose." The Wizard tapped his nose for emphasis. The Fellowship headed down the left-hand passage, and soon they came to an open space. "Let me risk a little more light." He raised his staff and uttered a strange word. They jolted at the sudden burst, and watched as a wave of light illuminated a huge hall of stone, lined with tall pillars and arched ceilings as far as the eye could see. They all looked around in awe.

"Behold! The great realm and Dwarf-city of Dwarrowdelf." Gandalf said.

"Now there's an eye opener, and no mistake." Sam was referring to both the view and the display of magic. As the Fellowship walked through the hall, now only illuminated by Gandalf's staff, Gimli saw a ray of sunlight shining through a hole in the wall.

"Oh!" he ran off.

"Gimli!" Gandalf tried to call him back, both forgetting to lower their voices. Gimli paid no heed to Gandalf, and ran into the chamber, the Fellowship hot at his heels. He stopped and knelt by a crypt and started to sob.

"No! Oh, no. Noooo!" Boromir moved forward and placed his hand on Gimli's shoulder. Gandalf stopped next to Gimli and translated the runes on the tomb.

"'Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria.' He is dead, then. It's as I feared." Ruby clapped a hand to her mouth. So that was what Dwalin wasn't telling her in his letters. Tears came to her eyes and she felt a warm hand on her back trying to soothe her. She turned and buried her face in Aragorn's chest, willing the hiccups to silence. Gandalf handed his staff and hat to Pippin, bent down, and took from the grasp of a dead dwarf a large, battered and very old book. He opened it and cleared the dirt from its pages. Legolas looked around the chamber and turned to Aragorn.

"We must move on, we cannot linger!" He winced at the sharp look he and Ruby gave him, but he had a bad feeling. He understood Ruby was mourning, but she had to have heard the scuffling of feet outside, her hearing was as good as his.

"'They have taken the bridge, and the second hall.'" Gandalf started to read. "'We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums, drums in the deep. We cannot get out. A Shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out...They are coming.'"

Suddenly a loud banging startled them and they all turned to see Pippin next to a well, a chain pulling a dried skeleton down, its noise echoing from hall to hall. He winced at each new wave of noise. Then silence. The Fellowship began to relax. Gandalf slammed the book shut.

"Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!" He grabbed the staff and hat from Pippin, but just then, drums echoed up from deep below. Terror crept into their faces.

"Frodo!" Sam pointed to Sting. Foul sounds could be heard from the distance.

"Orcs!" Legolas recognized the scum's calls. Boromir ran to lock the door. Arrows were being shot, one almost hitting him in the face. Ruby stepped away from Aragorn and went to help barricading the door. Aragorn dropped his torch and yelled to the Hobbits:

"Get back! Stay close to Gandalf!" He ran to help by the doors. A roar was heard.

"They have a cave-Troll." Boromir said, almost matter-of-factly.

Legolas tossed spears and axes to Boromir and Aragorn to help blockade the door while Ruby started to step back and twirl her two preferred daggers. Her eyes started to change. She reminded herself not to shift, this quest was still far from over, and they couldn't risk one of the Orcs running to the enemy to spoil their secret. Gimli leapt atop Balin's tomb and brandished his axe.

"Aarghhh! Let them come! There is one Dwarf yet in Moria that still draws breath!"

Orcs began breaking the door down. Legolas and Aragorn shot at them through the holes forming in the old wood. After a while, the rotten wood could hold no longer, and the Orcs finally managed to break it down. Ruby tried to keep everyone in sight as she cut Orc after Orc down, but after their room was flooded with enemies, it was nearly impossible.

Sam was bravely fighting against Orcs bigger than him, but then he just stood there, staring in a mixture of awe and fear, as the Troll was pulled in by a chain leash. Taking the easy target, it swung its mace down. Sam, quickly coming back to his senses, rolled away between its legs, making the Troll bend over and look after Sam. It realized that it could not follow the same way, so it straightened and turned, spotting Sam huddled in a corner on the floor. Lifting a huge foot, it aimed to squash the Hobbit, but at the nick of time, Aragorn and Boromir pulled at the chain as hard as they could, making the Troll lose its balance and pivot around, its mace swinging madly.

Aragorn rolled out of the way and continued the battle, but Boromir dumbly kept a hold of the chain. The Troll, seeing this, grabbed the other end and swung the Man away, making him smack against the opposite wall and roll off a higher platform, falling dazed onto the floor.

Ruby heard Frodo calling for Aragorn, and saw a brown blur move in the direction the Hobbit's voice had come. After dispatching another two Orcs, she turned, only to step back to avoid a flying Aragorn as he hit the wall beside her and collapsed onto the floor. She stood protectively over him as the Orcs tried to take advantage of his stunned form.

It all happened so fast. A troll stabbed Frodo in the chest with a spear. The little Hobbit groaned and gasped, grabbing at the tip of the spear, but fell to the floor, lifeless. The Fellowship redoubled their efforts against the Orcs and Troll in fury. Gandalf and Gimli took turns stabbing at the Troll and dodging out of range. Legolas took aim. With Pippin stabbing the troll one more time on the head, the troll opened its mouth. Legolas shot an arrow into its neck. The Troll moaned then collapsed to the ground. Pippin was thrown against the floor, knocked out. A moment of silence. All Orcs were dead or had fled.

Ruby managed to wake Aragorn and watched him crawl over to Frodo.

"Oh no..." he groaned. So soon had their quest failed. He turned Frodo over. The whole Fellowship was startled as a rattled gasp escaped Frodo.

"He's alive!" Sam ran over to his friend.

"I'm all right. I'm not hurt." The Ringbearer tried to calm the Fellowship between ragged breaths.

"You should be dead! Ow!" Aragorn winced at a slap to the back of his head and glared at his mother figure. "I mean, that spear would have skewered a wild boar."

"I think there's more to this Hobbit than meets the eye." Gandalf smirked. Frodo lifted his shirt, revealing shining metal. Sam touched it in wonder.

"Mithril!" Gimli recognized the treasure at once. "You are full of surprises Master Baggins." His smile was turned upside down as Orcs were once again heard down the hall.

"To the bridge of Khazad-Dûm!" Seeing that they were all relatively well, Gandalf ushered them on. He lingered by Ruby who had taken a habit of counting heads and taking the rear. "Ruby."

"I know." She interrupted him and pushed him after the Fellowship. He quickly took the lead.

They were being pursued by a large army of orcs. Some sprang out from the floor, others crawled down from the ceiling and down the pillars like spiders. They surrounded the Fellowship, who had drawn their weapons. After a tense moment of snarling and growling, a fiery light appeared at the end of the hall, followed by a thunderous growl. The Orcs, scared, fled panicking in all directions. The Fellowship slowly turned towards the light.

"What is this new devilry?" Boromir spoke lowly to Gandalf, who was supporting himself on his staff with his eyes closed in defeat. But when he opened the fiery blues, they were full of determination. He would get them out of this tomb.

"A Balrog." He heard Aragorn and Legolas take a sharp intake of breath. Ruby groaned. The rest of the fellowship seemed not to know of the creature. He wished it could remain so. Even so he explained shortly. "A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you. Run! Quickly!"

"Gandalf, let m—"

"No!" The Wizard interrupted Ruby as they ran through a passageway. "This quest is far from over. It may be that this Balrog is not a foe worth exposing yourself. You will face worse enemies, and then, we will need the element of surprise on our side."

Ruby huffed, but understood. They flew down a flight of steps, Boromir taking the lead this time. Parts of the steps ended into a chasm, taking him by surprise as he teetered on the edge of the cut stone as he watched his torch fall to the depths below. Legolas hurried after him, pulled him back just in time and falling back onto the steps, Boromir landing heavily on top of him. Legolas felt the Man's shield hit his chin, but he would count himself lucky if he got out of these mines with just a bruise. The Hobbits too stopped short of falling in. Gandalf was being pushed faster by Ruby.

"Gandalf." Aragorn went to help.

"Lead them on Aragorn. The bridge is near." He nodded towards their path. Aragorn resisted, trying once again to help, but Gandalf pushed him away. "Do as I say! Swords are no more use here." He ignored Aragorn's baffled expression at being yelled at and hobbled on.

The Fellowship ran down another steep staircase, Legolas jumping over everyone's head and just behind Boromir to avoid any other slips. Half way down, they encountered a gap on the stairs. Legolas once again leapt forward to the other side. He waved to Gandalf.

"Gandalf!" he called out to the Wizard who had his eye on Ruby. Gandalf looked back up towards the Hall as they heard a loud growl and stones fell around them. He sent another warning glare to her and jumped after Legolas, who caught and steadied him easily.

"Do not let Ruby turn. Under no circumstances." He whispered into the Elf's ear, who nodded discreetly.

Suddenly, arrows whistled in the air, striking the steps they stood on, nearly piercing Boromir's foot. Legolas and Aragorn shot back, killing enough Orcs to cover them for now.

"Merry! Pippin!" Boromir grabbed both Hobbits and jumped the gap, making another piece of stone fall and making the jump farther. Legolas steadied them as they landed and immediately kept shooting.

"Aragorn." Ruby rarely called him by his name, so he snapped his eyes to her. "Give me your bow. Get them across." She pushed the two remaining Hobbits forward and stepped behind Gimli, resuming the firing of arrows. Her aim with a bow wasn't as good as her skills with elements, but she had to at least pretend for now.

"Sam!" He threw Sam to the other side, who was caught safely by Boromir. Aragorn reached to pick up Gimli, but the Dwarf held up his hand and proudly declared:

"Nobody tosses a Dwarf." And proceeded to launch his heavy self across the chasm. If Ruby's eyes weren't bulging in fear of him falling, she would have rolled them. Naturally, his feet barely made firm contact with the stone and he started to topple over backwards, until Legolas snapped his head back at Ruby's sharp gasp and grabbed the first thing he could without throwing them both over: a beard. "Not the beard!" came the pained reply.

Not even a second later, more stone steps crumbled and fell into the fires below. Aragorn pushed Frodo back up the steps, slipping on a crack and crawling after the Hobbit, who was being dragged up by Ruby, who extended another hand and grabbed Aragorn's arm and helped him struggle to his feet. They looked at the widened gap that separated them from the rest of the Fellowship. The Balrog could be heard from the other hall, its fiery light clearly seen. Stone structures around the mine collapsed as it drew near with thundering steps. A huge rock fell from the ceiling and smashed down the steps behind Aragorn, Ruby and Frodo, creating another gap behind them and weakening the stairs' foundation. To their dismay, the stairs began to wobble.

"Steady! Hold on." Aragorn felt Ruby grab his shoulder with one hand and steady his body's movement to her leaning. He did the same to Frodo. "Hang on!" he grabbed the Hobbit's cape and steadied his shaking. He felt Ruby push him. "Lean forward!" Pulling Frodo back slightly so as not to let him fall over by leaning too much, he watched as the gap closed. "Steady!"

"Come on!" Legolas' eyes were fixed on Ruby, his arms ready to catch her. On both his sides were Boromir and Gandalf, ready to steady Frodo and Aragorn. "Now!" he yelled, just as the two stones collided.

Aragorn and Frodo were pushed by Ruby to give them a boost. They leapt across to safety, caught by Gandalf and Boromir. Ruby, who was a few steps further up, had a longer leap, but she stretched her hand and felt Legolas' fingers wrap around her wrist and pull her the rest of the way.

She did not know if it was her momentum, Legolas still pulling her, or if she threw herself against him, all she knew is that as soon as her feet touched firm stone, she slammed into a warm chest and strong arms enveloped her and pressed her into the sound of a rapidly beating heart. She looked up and rested her hands on broad shoulders. Feeling a trembling hand on her cheek, she closed her eyes as Legolas' face came closer and their foreheads touched. She felt more than heard Legolas exhale a breath of relief.

Their moment was cut short as the Fellowship ran past them down the stairs as the stone structures collapsed around them. Legolas took Ruby's hand in his and led her after them, their fingers laced together.

"Over the bridge! Fly!" Gandalf ushered them, looking back at the growing red glow. The Fellowship crossed the bridge. Gandalf stopped halfway over and turned to face the Balrog, who appeared out of the fires, growling. "You cannot pass!" he declared.

"Gandalf!" Ruby did a double-take at Frodo's yell. A blazing light radiated from Gandalf's staff, illuminating the entire bridge and its surroundings.

"I am the servant of the secret fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you! Flame of Udûn!" The Balrog striked down on Gandalf with a flaming sword. Gandalf parried the blow with Glamdring, shattering the Balrog's sword. "Go back to the Shadow!" The Balrog brandished a flaming whip, lashing it about menacingly.

"What are you doing, you old bat, get out of there!" Ruby's eyes were starting to change. Legolas pulled her back to his chest.

"Mîruin, you must keep control." He whispered into her ear.

"YOU….SHALL NOT…PASS!" Gandalf striked his staff and sword onto the bridge. The Balrog stopped for a moment, but soon continued. As it stepped forward, the bridge collapsed under it and the demon fell backwards into the chasm, growling. Gandalf, exhausted, watched the Balrog fall for a moment, then turned to follow the others. At the last moment, the flaming whip lashed up from the depths and wrapped about Gandalf's ankle, dragging him over the edge. He clung onto the bridge but strained to keep his grip. Ruby and Frodo rushed forward, but Boromir and Legolas restrained them.

"No! No!" Boromir called.

"Gandalf!" Frodo wailed.

"Legolas, let me go!" Ruby was barely keeping control of her human form, her sharp talons digging into Legolas' leather armguards, but he bit through the pain and held on to her.

"Fly, you fools!" Gandalf looked once more to his beloved daughter and released his grip, falling into the abyss.

"Nooooooo!" Frodo sobbed.

" _Bormah_!" Ruby roared. Legolas was starting to sweat trying to hold on to her, and her strength was growing. He saw Boromir grab Frodo and run, heading for the stairs leading to the East Gate, calling out for Aragorn.

Aragorn was shocked. He stared at the bridge in disbelief, unable to move for a few moments. But then Orc arrows started whistling by once again. Dodging, he turned and followed the others up the stairs and out into the light.

The rest of the Fellowship was on their way to safety, but Legolas was still having a hard time holding onto Ruby. Her clothes were starting to smoke as her skin grew hot scales. He decided that reason would not get to her now and scooped her up in his burning arms, running after the Fellowship. He felt her grab onto his tunic and bury her face in his neck.

They came running out of the East Gate of Moria. Legolas ran past everyone until he found a stream. It was narrow, barely two feet wide, and way too shallow for his liking, but it would do. He dumped Ruby into the ice cold water and threw himself next to her, soaking his arms, chest and neck in the water, closing his eyes and sighing half in relief, half in despair.

He opened his eyes to see Ruby had her human form back in control, the crook of her elbow over her eyes, her mouth twisted in a pained grimace. Gasps and sobs escaped her silently. Legolas rose from the water and pulled her up, wrapping his arms around her shaking form. Her hands grasped the back of his tunic as she buried her face in his chest. Legolas bit through the pain on his skin because he knew she was in greater pain than him. He said nothing. There was nothing he could do but to be there for her and hold her. So that is what he did. They stood in the shallow stream, dripping water until they heard Aragorn calling out.

"Legolas, get them up."

"Give them a moment for pity's sake!" Boromir hissed at him.

"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs!" Aragorn reasoned. "We must reach the Woods of Lothlórien. Come Boromir. Legolas. Gimli, get them up." he reached down to pick Sam up. "On your feet Sam." He looked around for Frodo. "Frodo? Frodo!"

The Hobbit, a few paces away, grieved alone. Weeping silently, he turned towards Aragorn. As the Ranger went to talk to him, Ruby looked up at Legolas, tears in her red eyes. Anger and sorrow were clearly in them, but the Elf also saw gratitude. Then, as she looked him over, at his torn and burnt clothes and burnt and cut flesh underneath, alarm took over her features.

"I'm fine." He held her as she tried to step away in horror at what she had done. " _Mîruin_ , don't worry. It's nothing."

"Nothing?! Legolas, look at yourself, how can you say it's nothing?" she managed to detangle herself from him, but he still held her at arm's length. As she started to reach into her pack and talk about a special ointment for Dragonfire, he shushed her and pulled her close again, holding her face in his palms. She placed her hands carefully on his arms.

"Listen to me." He said seriously. "I will gladly take whatever pain unto myself if it means getting you to safety." He watched as she stood there, speechless, tears running down her cheeks. He wiped them away with his thumbs. "Don't cry. Please. It's just a scratch. There's a jar of one of your wonderful ointments in your pack with my name on it, and I promise I won't argue against you taking care of me when we arrive in Lothlórien, but first, we need to get there safely, alright?" he watched her nod and slowly straightened up. He held his hand out for her to take, but she shook her head, looking at the burnt palm.

"I don't want to hurt you any more."

Legolas rolled his eyes and took her hand anyway, pulling her after the Fellowship.

* * *

 _Translations:_

 _Bormah - Father_


	19. Chapter 19

_I AM VERY MUCH ALIVE! Hello, hello, hello, my dear, lovely readers, it has been quite some time! *cries in shame* I apologize. I have zero excuses, aside from the bullshit ones. I am so very grateful for your continued support. Thank you for all the fevourites, follows and reviews. you guys are my reason for being. Enjoy a rewrite of the latest chapters. (might want to recapitulate a bit and tell me what you think.)_

* * *

They continued the journey, Aragorn running in front of them. Ruby had convinced Legolas to let go of her hand after a blister on his palm had started bleeding, but he refused to budge from her side. They crossed Dimrill Dale and entered the Woods of Lothlórien just in time for sundown. Slowly, they walked under tall trees.

"Stay close young Hobbits!" Gimli ushered them to him. "They say there's a great sorceress lives in these woods. An Elf-witch of terrible power. All who look upon her fall under her spell" Frodo looked startled. "and are never seen again."

"Mr. Frodo?"Sam sounded concerned, but Frodo smiled weakly at him and continued walking.

"Well, here's one Dwarf she won't ensnare so easily. I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox! Oh!" Gimli declared smugly just before an arrow was pointed at his face. Lórien Elves appeared from behind the trees, aiming at all the others as well. The Fellowship stopped and looked around, alarmed. Legolas had his bow drawn and an arrow nocked, but many others were pointed at him. Aragorn was the wisest to put his hands up.

"The dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark." A haughty voice sneered. Its owner was the Marchwarden, and he surveyed the Fellowship with sharp eyes. Ruby lowered her head and stepped behind Aragorn.

They were led to one of the great trees, where they could rest safely.

" _Mae govannen, Legolas Thranduilion_." The Marchwarden greeted his kin.

" _Govannas vîn gwennen le, Haldir o Lórien_." Legolas replied.

" _A Aragorn in Dúnedain istannen le ammen_." Haldir greeted Aragorn.

"Haldir." He replied curtly. Ruby refrained from rolling her eyes. If he is to be King, he needs to learn proper formalities, as tired as he may be.

" _Mîruin. Gwannas lû and_." Ruby managed a smile at Haldir. "I have missed your...presence." her smile fell, snapping her eyes to Legolas and back.

"So much for the legendary courtesy of the Elves! Speak words we can all understand!" Gimli growled. Ruby was never so grateful for a Dwarf's lack of etiquette.

"We have not had dealings with the Dwarves since the Dark Days." Haldir hissed.

"And do you know what this Dwarf says to that?" Ruby braced herself for what she knew was to come. " _Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul!_ " *

Aragorn rounded on him.

"That was not so courteous." The Ranger quipped as Haldir walked up to Frodo and spoke with him.

"You can go no further." The Marchwarden proclaimed. Sam and Pippin looked accusingly at Frodo.

Aragorn quietly argued with Haldir as Boromir spoke with Frodo. Ruby stood by Legolas, lifting torn pieces of his clothing off his wounds to avoid them sticking together. She couldn't wait to treat him, but a blatant display of her powers was not what they needed now, else she would have cleaned his wounds long ago. Legolas allowed her to fret over him to take her mind off Gandalf, while he studied Haldir stealing glances at her, and her trying to avoid them.

"You will follow me." Haldir called to them. He led them through a set of paths in the woods until they were all on a hill overlooking a canopy of trees. "Caras Galadhon. The heart of Elvendom on earth. Realm of the Lord Celeborn and of Galadriel, Lady of Light." He proclaimed.

As The Fellowship arrived at Caras Galadhon, they walked up a winding stairway amongst the trees, towards the grand court of Galadriel and Celeborn. With a glow issuing forth from them, the Lord and Lady of Lothlórien descended to meet the Fellowship, hand in hand. Aragorn touched his head reverently in greeting. The rest of the Fellowship stared in awe.

"The Enemy knows you have entered here. What hope you had in secrecy is now gone. Nine that are here yet there were ten set out from Rivendell. Tell me where is Gandalf? For I much desire to speak with him." Celeborn said with a calm, but commanding voice. "I can no longer see him from afar."

Galadriel looked at Aragorn, reading the answer in his eyes.

"Gandalf the Grey did not pass the borders of this land. He has fallen into Shadow."

"He was taken by both Shadow and flame." Legolas explained. "A Balrog of Morgoth. For we went needlessly into the net of Moria."

"Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf in life. We do not yet know his full purpose." She turns her gaze to Gimli. "Do not let the great emptiness of Khazad-dûm fill your heart, Gimli, son of Glóin. For the world has grown full of peril. And in all lands love is now mingled with grief." She looked at each of the Fellowship's members in turn, speaking to them individually.

"What now becomes of this Fellowship? Without Gandalf, hope is lost." Celeborn sighed.

"The quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail to the ruin of all. Yet hope remains while the Company is true. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight you will sleep in peace..." Galadriel's speaking voice faded away as Ruby started to hear the Lady in her mind. ' _Come to the mirror. It will show you what you need to see.'_

* * *

Back on the ground, they had been led to the springs for bathing. Each pool was sectioned off by natural foliage, making bathing a more private matter, though they were all too absorbed in their own thoughts for immodesty or lecherous notions. The pools were different sized, according to what the terrain allowed. Some were large enough for twenty people, others so narrow, not even one Hobbit could fit there.

The Hobbits chose one of those small pools to scrub their feet before entering a larger one. They left their clothes on a pile away from them, silently apologizing to whichever servant hat to deal with the stink.

Aragorn groaned as he sank into the hot water and finally allowed himself to feel the aches in his muscles. His ears picked up on a soft noise. He tilted his head to the left and listened.

Ruby was trying to keep her crying quiet.

There was nothing Aragorn could say. There was nothing anyone could say. She knew she had to keep herself a secret for the sake of the quest, she knew the risks Gandalf took when he agreed to come along with them, and he faced the Balrog of his own accord. Ruby knew all this, and yet the pain was not lessened. Boromir washed his face vigorously in an attempt to hide his own tears, while Gimli sat on a stone, combing oils through his beard, an angry frown pulling his lips and eyebrows down. The hobbits made no attempt to silence their sniffling. Legolas entered a pool and hissed as his burns came in contact with the water. He dabbed a soapy hand at his chest in an attempt to clean the dirt out of his wounds. His eyes were red and his hands shook, but he remained silent. One by one, they finished cleaning themselves, stepping out of the water and dressing in clean clothes left for them, leaving the baths.

Not far, an area had been provided for them to rest in. The Hobbits were settling down. In the trees, the Elves' singing could be heard.

"A lament for Gandalf." Legolas looked up with a silver jug in his hands.

"What do they say about him?" Merry asked.

"I have not the heart to tell you. For me the grief is still too near." The Elf frowned.

"I bet they don't mention his fireworks. There should be a verse about them." Sam complained. Then, after a moment of thought, he stood up and rhymed loudly over the singing Elves' voices:

"The finest rockets ever seen

They burst in stars of blue and green"

A snore from Gimli interrupted him, but after a hard shove from Aragorn, he continued:

"Or after thunder, silver showers…

...Came falling like a…rain of flowers"

"Oh, that doesn't do them justice by a long road." He said disheartened and plopped back into his seat.

"That was wonderful, Sam." Ruby, who had just come from the baths, smiled at him. "Thank you." She squeezed his shoulder in passing, then stopped in front of Legolas, her eyes sweeping over his torso and seeing splotches of red on silver. "You're staining your tunic. You should have stayed put."

"I was thirsty." Came his lame reply. He smiled apologetically down at her, but was relieved to see she was calmer.

"Do you need help?" Ruby asked.

"Yes, I think I do." He followed her to a small alcove under the roots of a Mallorn tree where her pack was. He sat on the floor, his back resting against the wall as she approached him, sitting by his side. She pulled his tunic open and peeled the fabric away from his wounds. It stuck to dried blood and made him hiss, until he jolted in surprise at a stream of water Ruby had called to aid her. Seeing scratches in shapes she recognized as her scales, her face took on a pained expression.

" _Zu'u los ful krosis_." She whispered. The wound stretched in the shape of her body from his shoulder, across his chest to his waist and over his arms. As she reached them, she looked at the gashes her talons had made. They weren't deep enough to cut any tendons, but if they did not heal properly, he wouldn't be able to use his bow anymore. Ruby would never forgive herself. " _Zu'u los ful krosis,_ Legolas." She repeated. Legolas heard the pain in her voice and stopped her careful ministrations on his arms to hold her hands.

"What does that mean?" he asked. Ruby slipped her hands form his and continued cleaning the gashes.

"You could have bled out, Legolas." Her voice cracked. "If you weren't wearing your bracers, I could have killed you." A small hiccup escaped her lips. "Why?" she looked up from her work into his eyes.

Legolas understood her perfectly, he could read it in her multi-coloured eyes. The Gold specks of her Dragon form asked why he did not allow her revenge on the Balrog. The Red bubbling though her irises asked why she was not allowed to use her powers on such a dire situation. Her own warm Chestnut gaze asked why she had to go through such loss. But the more prominent question came from vibrant forest Green, asking him why he would risk himself so. He decided to answer one question at a time, as best as he could.

"You couldn't have revealed your secret so soon in this quest. You might not think so, but there are ways to defeat your kind, and we must keep the enemy from planning ahead if he is to encounter you." He wiped a tear from her face with his thumb. "Going after that demon would have done nothing to help Gandalf, you know he would have wanted your safety. His death would have been in vain if any one of us perished, as he died protecting us. He would have been especially upset if it had been you. Mostly because you would have done exactly the opposite of what he told you to do. Again." He smiled lightly at her weak chuckle. "And I could not bear fleeing danger, knowing that I could have saved you, but left you defenceless."

"I am not defenceless." She frowned at him.

"And you are not invincible." He said seriously. "You are probably the strongest of all of us. Probably stronger than all of us put together and then some. But there are ways to fell even one as powerful as you. One of those ways is to starve you out, but you're doing it brilliantly all by yourself." He held her chin, turning her head to face him again and looked her dead in the eyes. "How do you think your loss will be taken?" he scolded, his voice rising. "The Hobbits will be devastated, after having you live so long with them. Gimli will probably blame himself, thinking he had to protect Erebor's Queen. Don't give me any excuses, you know you are." He interrupted her as soon as her mouth opened to argue. "You would inflict that pain upon your own son? Who has already lost one mother, and now has to lose another, after being so grateful for one as wonderful as you!" Legolas tried not to think of his own mother, that was not the topic at the moment. "He has now finally accepted his rightful path! Maybe that is the push he needs to give up altogether!" Legolas was nearly shouting, but he reigned in his emotions and loosened his grip a bit on Ruby's chin, sliding his hand across her cheek and wiping yet another tear away. "And what about me?" He whispered. "Would you leave me alone in this world so easily? Without a second thought?"

"Legolas..." Ruby tried to speak, but was soon interrupted again.

"We all mourn Gandalf, but you can't take the blame for something you didn't cause." She nodded and lowered her eyes to her work. Ruby applied a strong smelling salve on his burns and bound them.

"There. All set." She ran a hand over his chest. "Go rest." As she made to rise, Legolas held her wrist and pulled her to a soft embrace. He chastely kissed the top of her head.

"You too." He whispered into her hair. "If you need anything..." he let his words hang in midair. Ruby nodded and forced on a smile before turning and leaving. She needed a walk.

* * *

 _Translations:_

 _Mae govannen, Legolas Thranduilion. - Welcome Legolas, son of Thranduil._

 _Govannas vîn gwennen le, Haldir o Lórien. - Our Fellowship stands in your debt, Haldir of Lórien._

 _A Aragorn in Dúnedain istannen le ammen. - And Aragorn of the Dúnedain, you are known to us._

 _Gwannas lû and. - It has been too long._

 _Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul! - I spit upon your grave!_

 _Bundul menu ogamut - Your words are not good._

 _Zu'u los ful krosis. - I am so sorry._


	20. Chapter 20

_One of you noticed the lack in chapters. They're not missing. I rewrote them. Soon we will leave Lothlórien._

* * *

Ruby searched for the Lady of Light in her mind. It had been years since she had been to Lothlórien, and for a good reason too. Galadriel had helped her pull her past from the depths of her mind, but not without suffering. After having had enough, Ruby decided to look for answers in Tamriel herself, though not staying long enough. The Dov in Skyrim were less than welcome. But now, she just wanted to eat. Perhaps a good hunt might improve her mood.

"Do you wish to speak to me, Mîruin?" A soft voice came from ahead of her. Galadriel stepped out from behind a large tree, smiling at the shorter female.

"Yes." Ruby tilted her head slightly in polite greeting and received an equally polite tilt of the head from the Elf. "I was wondering if I cou—"

"Haldir will lead you to our hunting grounds." The blonde smiled.

"Hah. I forgot you did that." Ruby tapped her temple. "It's kind of..."

"Disconcerting?" Galadriel had that smirk on her face again.

"Precisely." Ruby half smiled, half scowled. "Where can I find the Marchwarden?"

"By the Mirror." Galadriel turned to lead her. "Before you hunt, will you look into it?"

"Last time I did I saw my past." Ruby did not enjoy what she had learned. "What have you got in store for me now?"

"You know not even I can foresee the Mirror's visions." They arrived at a clearing where the silver basin stood next to a fountain. Haldir was emptying the water he had used around a tree.

"My Lady. Honoured Guest." He looked shaken, but greeted them nonetheless. "I shall be with you shortly to join you on your hunt." He put the mirror back in place with shaking hands.

"Take your time." Ruby watched him sit on a bench far enough so as not to intrude on their use of the Mirror. Galadriel filled a silver jug and passed it to Ruby.

"You know what to do." Ruby took the jug but did not pour the water. She looked questioningly at the mirror.

"Why are you so adamantly insisting?"

"Why are you so adamantly refusing?"

Ruby huffed and turned to the mirror. A quick glance at Haldir showed her he had his face in his hands and was still shaking a bit. That did not help her nerves. Even so, she took a deep breath, poured the water, set the jug on the fountainside, and gazed down, waiting for the water to calm. It took a few tense moments, but when it finally did, she was presented with a familiar sight: The hall of Kings in Erebor, its golden floor shining with the light of dozens of pits along the walls. On them, hung tapestries, telling of how the Company took back Erebor. As a sign of respect to her, no pictures displayed the slaying of Dragons. She passed a shining black marble column and gazed at her distorted reflection. On her head, a light, but imposing crown, resembling her horns was settled. She looked to the King's Throne. On it, sat Thorin, gazing lovingly at her. To his right, the empty Queen's Throne. He beckoned her closer and gestured to it. As she carefully made her way to him, small hurried steps sounded nearer and nearer.

"Auntie! Auntie! Wait for me! I have little legs!" a small voice called. Ruby whirled around to be nearly knocked over by a small Dwarf child jumping to her arms.

"Amber, where are your manners?" Fili soon appeared, running after his daughter. "Sorry, Ruby, you know how she gets." He stopped in front of her, his princely crown a mere circlet compared to Thorin's.

"Fili?" Ruby settled the toddler on her left arm and reached out a hand to touch his face, but her fingers could not quite feel his skin.

"Are you alright?" he asked, taking her hand in his. "Perhaps you should sit down." He led her up to the throne, but she wasn't paying attention to anything but the child in her arms. She had her father's blond hair, but what Ruby assumed were her mother's golden eyes.

"What pretty eyes you have. Are they your mother's?" Ruby whispered and tucked a lock of hair behind the girl's ear.

"Silly aunty. You gave them to me, remember?" The girl giggled. Ruby's eyes snapped to her sharp little fangs. Confusion hit her.

"Ruby? Are you sure you're feeling alright?" Fili stopped to question her.

"Yes...Yes, just a little disoriented. Must be the lack of breakfast today. Could you remind me...?" she gestured to the litt—Amber in her arms.

"Of course." Fili frowned, but continued speaking. "When my wife died at childbirth, Amber's health was compromised. You gave her your blood to survive. Don't you remember?"

"Of course I do. How silly of me." Ruby faked a smile as they reached the throne. Fili took his daughter back as Thorin stood to greet her.

"My Queen." His baritone voice sent shivers down her spine. He pulled her in for a possessive kiss, so unlike the ones she remembered. She pushed him away and looked into his eyes. They were glazed over with what she recognized as Dragon-Sickness. "You seem troubled. What is it? Speak and I shall punish who has wronged my Queen, my _Ghivashel_!"

"I—It's nothing, Thorin. I have not seen Kili today, and was wondering where he was." Ruby bit back tears.

"He's probably hiding away in his chambers with his Elf whore and their spawn. Do not speak of them to me. I have enough troubles with the Elves as it is." He threw himself imposingly on his Throne and sulked. So Tauriel had managed to be with Kili. But at what cost?

"What troubles, my King?" Ruby asked, running her hand through his beard. She couldn't feel its soothing tickle on her fingers. Thorin took her hand and kissed her. No. He kissed a ring on her finger, encrusted with a sapphire. Her marriage ring. A similar one, with a large ruby was on his finger.

"Thranduil refuses to trade. His son's sickness keeps him from letting the richness between our kingdoms grow." Thorin spat.

"Legolas is sick?" Ruby let go of Thorin's hand. "I must see him."

"Why do you insist on keeping those knife-ears as friends, Ghivashel?" Thorin seemed angry. That was not the Thorin she knew. She kept walking to the large double doors, not looking back at the shameful memory of her lost love.

The vision changed. Ruby recognized the halls of Greenwood. It looked more like Mirkwood each day that passed. She was being led by Thranduil himself to his son's quarters. A gaggle of healers stood at the door, muttering lowly. They allowed their King and guest passage. Inside, the sickly sweet stench of death met her. On the bed, Legolas lay under a pile of blankets, pillows propping his back to aid him in breathing. In his hand, he held a portrait. As Ruby sat on a chair by his bedside, she saw it was of her. Pale, dull blue eyes lifted to her and seemed to shine a bit brighter as he recognized her.

" _I heryn vuin Mîruin._ " Legolas lowered the portrait and allowed her to take his hand. This time, she felt the contact. His skin was dry and scratchy, stretching over his bones. "You've come." His voice was weak.

"Of course I have, Legolas. What happened to you?" Ruby stood from her chair, only to sit on the mattress, being careful not to jostle him.

"Your sense of humour has decayed in your stay with your husband." He grimaced at her. "Can you not see I am fading?"

Ruby ran a hand through his hair, now thin and void of any healthy shine. She dreaded the answer, but asked anyways.

"Why are you fading?" she whispered.

"Because you do not love me." He closed his eyes in pain. "You chose Thorin over me. And I cannot bear to live without you."

"But I'm here now, Legolas, I'm right here..." Ruby's voice cracked and she wiped the tears angrily from her face.

"But you do not love me. How can I live without your love?"

"What are you talking about? Of course I love you, you foolish elf!" Ruby hiccupped.

"You said you were going after answers. You said you were going to find your kin. Why did you not go?"

"I did, Legolas, I went to Tamriel, I learned so much, you know this!"

"I wish we could have gone together, but you never left Erebor. I wanted you to be happy. Are you happy with Thorin? Are you happy in that dark mountain?" his eyes closed once more, his breathing shallow.

"No, Legolas, I'm not. That is not the Dwarf I fell in love with."

"Do not tell me you love him, please. Do not torture me further."

"You dense, foolish Elf. Can you not see?" Ruby took his face in his hands. "I love you."

"I wish...you could have realized that sooner." Legolas touched her tear-streaked cheek with the tips of his cold, trembling fingers. "Will you kiss me? At least once in my life, I wish to have been kissed by you, my love." Ruby did not hesitate and pressed her lips to his dry ones. Tears fell onto his face as she waited for a reaction but none came. As she pulled away, he lay dead in her arms.

* * *

Ruby gasped and stumbled backwards, tripping over the hem of her dress and falling to the forest floor. She sobbed and hiccupped like a small bawling child. Looking up at Galadriel, she hissed at the Elf:

"Why did you want me to see this?"

"The mirror shows many things." The Lady of Light was not offended by her reaction. "Things that were, things that are, and things that have not yet come to pass." Ruby knew this, and waited for further explanation. "It also, very rarely, shows what could have been. I did not insist for you to see this terrible vision because I wanted you to suffer. I wanted the mirror to show you that you have made the right choice." She left Ruby to let that sink in as her sobs subdued. Behind her, strong arms hoisted her up and placed her on a nearby bench. She looked up to see Haldir sitting next to her.

"I hate that mirror." He said.

"I think even Galadriel hates it." Ruby scoffed and wiped the last of her tears away, straightening up and taking deep breaths.

"What did you see?" the Marchwarden asked. Ruby's eyes flashed dangerously red and looked warningly at him.

"What did you see?" she delivered back.

"Fair enough." He stood and held out his hand to her. "Shall we hunt?"

"No. We are not hunting together. You are showing me to where I am allowed to hunt on your Lady's grounds, and I will hunt by myself." Ruby accepted his hand and let him lead her away.

"Those were not my instructions." He argued.

"I don't care. I will hunt alone, whether you take me to a proper hunting ground or not." Ruby continued down the path they were on. She heard Haldir grumble, but he did as she bid him.

"I see your affections lie with another." Haldir said after a while.

"Hm." Ruby kept walking.

"I was hoping to see you sooner. I enjoyed your days here with us."

"I bet you did."

"Did you not as well?"

"If I remember correctly, it was not your name I called out during our...encounters." Ruby smirked poisonously at the Marchwarden.

"Be careful you don't slip up with the prince." He hissed back.

"I won't. Do you want to know why that is?" Ruby did not wait for an answer and kept talking. "I do not need to pretend he is someone else to achieve pleasure."

That shut Haldir up.

After nearly an hour walking, they arrived at a glen. Ruby's sensitive ears could hear enough wildlife to feed a Dwarvish feast. This would be easy for her. She thanked Haldir with a thin, insincere smile, and waited until she could no longer hear his steps. She reminded herself not to let her true nature show, she still needed it to be kept secret.

* * *

 _Translations:_

 _Ghivashel - treasure of all treasures_

 _I heryn vuin Mîruin. - My beloved Lady Ruby._


	21. Chapter 21

Legolas found Ruby lying on her side by a stream, her head propped on her right hand, her left lazily playing with the water. He lowered himself to sit by the river, resting his back on a larger stone as she sat up and looked at him. He had a fresh tunic on, and no stains marred the silk. Good.

"I sense you're distressed." He said after a while. "What happened?" he watched her struggle with words, digging her blackened thumbnail into a river stone.

"I went to the mirror." She finally disclosed. "It...showed me I'm on the right path. At least that's what I understood."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Legolas took the rock away from her and covered her thumb from view. He felt it shift back to its human form in his palm, but did not release her hand.

"It is." There was something she wasn't telling him. He waited patiently for her to continue. "Did you know..." She took in a shaky breath. "Did you know that Thorin was not cured of Gold Sickness? That he would relapse, had he not died?" Legolas frowned slightly at the mention of her previous love.

"I'm sorry." He meant it. Not for Thorin, but for how she would have suffered.

"Don't be." Ruby fiddled with a small button on the hem of his sleeve. "I saw what would have been, had I stayed in Erebor with him." She did not look him in the eyes, choosing instead to prod curiously at a bruise on his chin. He shrugged her hands off and forced her eyes on his. An inquisitive eyebrow was raised. Sighing she continued, but her eyes roamed the glen to avoid his. "Fili had a daughter. His wife died at birth, and the child had complications, so I shared my blood with her to help her survive." Her eyes glazed over as she stared at a highly uninteresting moss covered stone nearby. "Her name was Amber. Her eyes were just like mine, when...well...they were golden." Ruby still knew not to blurt their secret weapon out loud.

"That's not so bad. Did you know you could do that?" Legolas rubbed her back soothingly.

"No. I have to do some research on it later. I'm assuming the information is in Erebor, since I wouldn't have travelled to Tamriel, had I stayed there." Ruby looked back at him, then lowered her eyes again to his sleeve button and resumed fiddling with it. "Anyways, Kili managed to wed Tauriel, but they were shunned. I didn't even see them, or their children. And Thorin...Thorin had that look in his eyes again...he...he..." Ruby closed her eyes tight and let out a shaky breath. "He was angry at your father." She stopped talking.

"That's not much of a surprise." Legolas tried to lighten the mood. "What was the problem this time?"

"You were sick. Thranduil had stopped all trades and blocked the routes in his kingdom." Legolas gave up on trying to save his button from her incessant fiddling as she ripped it out with her shaking hands and looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "Legolas, you were fading." A cold silence passed over them. Legolas blinked, trying to wrap his head around the new information. He cleared his throat in an attempt to articulate some form of response, but couldn't. Ruby continued. "You looked horrible. I went to see you, but I was too late." Legolas pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her.

"None of it really happened, it's all right now. Look at me." She still would not look him in the eyes. " _Meleth nîn_ , look at me." He wiped her tears away. "I'm right here. See? None of it happened."

"But it could have!"

"And yet it didn't. You said so yourself, the mirror showed you are on the right path." at her sniff, he tried a different approach. "It pains me to see you like this." That seemed to do the trick. Ruby sat up straighter and wiped her face with her sleeves. "There you go. All better." She kept looking at him in a strange way. Legolas sighed and flushed. "You really had no idea how much I've always loved you." It wasn't a question.

"How could I have been so blind?" she frowned and shook her head.

"I honestly haven't a clue." They chuckled. "But you know now."

"Hm." She lowered her head. Uttering a low curse under her breath, she saw she had successfully ruined another tunic of his. His arm where she had held on to earlier was bleeding again. Legolas watched her as she took a deep breath and wordlessly started unbuttoning his shirt, carefully checking his bandages and unwrapping the reopened wound. She tutted and grimaced at it. A stream of water became airborne and flew to the gashes on his arm. He closed his eyes and sighed in relief as the cold compress touched his skin.

"This is going to take some time." she sighed, inspecting the damage. The salve she normally used was working far too slow for her liking. She needed to find an alternative. "You shouldn't have held on to me."

Legolas had enough of her complaining. He gripped the back of her neck and pulled her face close, touching their foreheads together and looking her in the eye. Blue anger met multi-coloured confusion.

"Stop it. I could not _bear_ living another second, knowing that I could have saved you, but didn't." Ruby saw a fiery spark that did not belong in his sky blue eyes, but seemed to come from his very soul. That spark triggered something in Ruby she had not felt in a long time. She searched his eyes, uncertain about her reaction to his intense stare, but he broke it, lowering his gaze to her lips, then back to her eyes, a question written clearly in them.

Ruby was still dazed at his words, so he slowly closed the distance between their faces, softly and briefly touching his lips to the corner of hers. He pulled his head back a little, their noses still touching, to gauge her reaction and saw her eyes had closed.

Legolas, being an Elf, did not measure time as other creatures did, but those few seconds waiting for her reaction seemed like eons to him. After over seven hundred years of friendship...of teasing, flirting and leading each other on, he had lost his chance to be with her when Thorin came along and snatched her from him. He had accepted it, mostly because he blamed himself for waiting so long, and because if the Dwarf made her happy, he would respect her choice, as long as she was not hurt. But then, he passed, and Ruby isolated herself in Fangorn, keeping even him away. The few times he saw her, she had been a shadow of who she once was. Legolas was ready to bet she would not survive another century. As they engaged in this quest together, he watched her, sometimes being caught staring, sometimes catching her staring, until he decided he would wait no longer. In Moria, they had nearly kissed, had a noise not alerted them to the danger they were in. He wanted to respect her, and give her time to grieve for Gandalf, but he allowed himself this small selfish act.

Her lips had been warmer than he expected, but that was no surprise. He wanted to feel them again, on his lips, on his skin, to touch them with his fingers, memorizing their taste and texture, but he still had a shred of self control. As he still held on to her nape, his thumb caressed the back of her ear, where her accursed braid had been, and took in a shaky breath in relief that she had not redone it. He called to her in her language, eager for a reaction, his thoughts torturing him.

" _Dovahmiin_?" he whispered. Her eyes fluttered open, glowing red orbs staring intensely back at him. She did not answer him. Instead, her hands carefully rested on his chest, the stream of water still cooling and cleaning his arm, though its path was uneven and shaky, as if it took a lot of concentration on her part to keep it moving. She leaned closer and grazed their lips, again closing her eyes in bliss. Legolas felt the tip of her tongue slide over his lower lip before it was taken between her own.

They both sighed, as if in relief at a weight being removed from them. In a way, it was, the tension between them was starting to bother even the clueless Hobbits.

Their kiss was slow, deliberately mapping each other's lips. Lithe, muscular arms wrapped around a thin waist, bringing the Dragon closer to the Elf, as delicate but strong arms stretched and coiled carefully around a bandaged burnt neck. Ruby was pulled, having to swing her right leg over Legolas' lap as he hoisted her up and closer to him, their chests pressing against each other's. Legolas parted his lips and silently asked for entrance as he ran his tongue over the small scar on her lip. A hot tongue met his, tangling, slowly gaining speed and fervour. A whimper escaped Ruby's throat as she felt his hands roam her back, long fingers tracing her scars through the dress' thin silk. Her own fingers buried themselves in Legolas' hair, running her nails lightly through his scalp and down his neck to his shoulders. A pained hiss made her come back to her senses and unlatch herself from him.

" _Draaf_. I'm sorry, Legolas, I forgot." She put a great deal of distance between them as she lowered her gaze to assess the damage she had done with her nails. Legolas would have none of that and gripped her hips, pulling her flush against him, making them both gasp at the intimate contact. He captured her lips again, still gripping her hips and keeping her from leaving. Ruby turned her head and broke the kiss, but Legolas merely lowered his head and latched his lips to her neck. "Legolas..." a soft sigh spurred him on to nibble at her skin. He was pleasantly surprised to feel her jolt at his ministrations, even more so when he nibbled a bit harder, making her grind her core down on his growing hardness. "No. Stop." Ruby managed to gain control and firmly pushed him away. Legolas looked up at her, ready for her rejection.

" _Dovahmiin_ , please. Don't do this. _Gin iallon_." He begged, his eyebrows turning up in a pleading arch.

"I must." Ruby took his face in her hands and kissed him deeply. Legolas eagerly melted into the kiss, wanting to savour what little affection she could give him, but it did not last long. "I won't have you bleeding all over my bed tonight." She smirked at him, knowing what foolish fears had manifested in his mind. He exhaled and closed his eyes in relief, a chuckle escaping his lips.

"You enjoy torturing me, _Dovahmiin_." He stole another kiss before Ruby released his face to take his arm and study the now clean wound. She settled herself onto his lap, allowing him to stroke her thighs.

"Why are you calling me that now?" she asked, turning his arm a little.

" _Ai_! Don't pull the skin!" Legolas frowned at the unpleasantness on his arm, but allowed her to continue, digging his fingers into her flesh.

"I'm so sorry, _shir_." Ruby had a pained expression on her face.

"Don't be." Legolas did not want to see her troubled over him. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers again. He felt her smile against him, but push him away to continue tending to him.

" _Ful laagnu_. Let me think." She scolded.

"I can't." He kissed her again, leaning further forward to catch her lips in her halfhearted attempt at avoiding his kisses. " _Ci sui 'lî erin lam nîn_." He kissed her again, and this time, she finally melted into him, though still avoiding his burns. " _Dovahmiin_." Her name dropped from his lips with a sigh as she pushed him back to lean against the stone to continue her work.

"What prompted you to change the way you say my name?" she repeated her question from before.

"I wish to learn your language. _Dovahzul_ was it?" He asked. At her nod, he continued. "You speak _Sindarin_ nearly perfectly, yet I only know a few words in your tongue. I want to be able to speak with you."

"You already can speak with me, silly." She smirked.

" _Intimately_." He leaned in closer, but did not kiss her this time. He looked into her eyes and blinked in that adorable way he always did when he was thinking hard. " _Zu'u hind soven voth hi._ "

Ruby smiled in surprise. Though his _Dovahzul_ was butchered, and still carried a heavy _Sindarin_ accent, she understood his meaning. She kissed him softly.

" _Ruz Zu'u fen mindov hi._ " She whispered. Legolas wrapped his arms around her and pulled her flush against himself. She looked into his eyes and blinked slowly. " _Miin_."

Legolas remembered her explaining to him what her name meant. _Dovah_ meant Dragon and _miin_ meant eye. He repeated. Ruby smiled and leaned in, touching their noses and rubbing their tips softly together.

" _Sumaar_."

Again, he repeated. As she leaned closer still, he realized these lessons were not going to be easy to concentrate. She grazed their mouths together and whispered against his lips.

" _Zahr_. _Kroslen_."

He did not repeat this time. Catching her lips with his own, he was surprised to feel her hot tongue invading his mouth momentarily, only to have her suck on his own tongue and nibble at it. She released him and continued trying to teach him words.

" _Vun_." She ran her tongue over his bottom lip. " _Rax_." Was the next word, with a nibble as a clue to its meaning. Legolas got an idea. He could potentially embarrass himself, but he had to try.

" _Zu'u_..." He swallowed and tried again, trying not to flush in embarrassment. " _Zu'u kovir rax_."

Ruby froze for a moment. Legolas swallowed, waiting for the laughter. Ruby's eyes flashed red for a moment, then went back to their twinkling everchanging colours. A sultry grin spread over her face.

" _Vir pogaas dreh hi kovir rax_?" She asked slowly, a hint of a doubt in her eyes. Legolas had to think hard on her words until he understood.

" _Zu'u kovir_..." he struggled to find words, and Ruby nibbling on his jawbone wasn't helping. "I think I still need a few more vocabulary lessons." He managed to croak out as he tilted his head back to give her access to the little bit of skin on his neck that wasn't damaged.

"Then let's continue." She trailed her tongue up across his cheek and reached the lobe of his ear. Ruby knew that Elves' ears were the most sensitive parts of their bodies, and Legolas knew she knew. Her tongue vanished inside her mouth as it skimmed the long arch of his helix, lightly nibbling with her teeth safely tucked behind her lips. As she stopped near the shell of his ear, she breathed out in a sigh: " _Honiir_."

Legolas was bursting apart at the seams, his fingers clutching her rocking hips over his member, his face screwed up in concentration so as to still pay attention to that damned word.

" _Hon—honi—_ " he tried in vain. A hot tongue dipped into his ear and a breathy chuckle set his brain on fire. She repeated the word, slowly, enunciating every letter. Taking a deep breath, he tried again. " _Honi-iir_ "

"No. Concentrate. Make a full sentence." Ruby stopped rocking against him, but kept talking against his ear, taking care not to hurt the sensitive appendage.

" _Zu'u kovir rax nau honiir_." He managed to get out, his face flushed half in embarrassment, half in arousal. A sharp cry escaped his lips as Ruby darted forward and took the very tip of his ear between her teeth and bit down, albeit lightly. Her lips wrapped around the still trapped cartilage and sucked, her tongue flicking the point in her mouth. " _Mîruin, avo dharo_!" to his dismay, Ruby pulled away with a wet smack, his ear slipping from her mouth and her hips lifting from his as she rose on her knees and broke all contact with him.

"Wrong. Language." Ruby panted above him, ignoring his hands trying to pull her back down. Instead, she shifted and pushed at him, so that he was lying on the grassy floor, her hand on his unhurt shoulder, still fighting his pulling hands.

"Ruby, please..."

"What do you want?" She leaned down but did not allow him to close the space between them. "Tell me, in _Dovahzul_."

Legolas frowned. This was not fair. He shifted and used his weight against her to roll them over and pin Ruby down, his hipbones pressed against the apex of her inner thighs. He rocked against her, the soft cotton of his trouser and thin silk of her dress doing nothing to help with the friction they wanted.

" _Fos dreh hi laan_?" Ruby panted, turning her face away from Legolas as he lowered himself to kiss her. He knew Ruby would not yield until this 'lesson' was over, so he stopped to think, resting his forehead on the crook of her neck.

" _Zu'u_..." he started, searching for a word. Lifting his head, he looked to Ruby for help, but she only raised an eyebrow at him. He sighed, racking his brain for an answer, but gave up as Ruby started rocking her hips again. He stilled her movements with his hand and looked down seriously at her. She stopped, a curious frown on her brow. " _Zu'u_..." he pulled her hand and laid her palm against his heart.

" _Hil_." She pressed harder on his chest.

" _Zu'u hil hi_." Legolas licked his lips and swallowed nervously. " _Fah gut tiid_." He saw the red glow flicker and fade from her eyes, flecked chestnuts seemed to be staring into the very depths of his soul, and corrected his butchered excuse of a phrase.

" _Zu'u lost lokaal hi fah rinik lingrah tiid_." She said slowly. When he repeated, a shiver went through her. Slowly, Ruby slipped her hand from his and took his wrist, placing his palm on her own chest and covering his hand with hers. " _Zu'u ahk lokaal hi._ "

Legolas could not believe his ears. Surprise, relief, happiness and love filled him to the brink of his existence, and all he could do to demonstrate that was a breathy exhale as he blinked in that unique way Ruby was so fond of. She raised her hand to hold his cheek.

"I'm sorry it took so long for me to realize." She caressed his face. "I'm sorry I hurt you." Legolas knew she did not only mean his physical wounds, but he shook his head and leaned down to kiss her sweetly.

"Don't apologise." He kissed her again. "You followed your heart to what provided you happiness at the time. I'm just glad it led you to me, even as long as it took."

"I'm so sorry." She repeated.

"Stop." He scolded her. Instead of trying to talk to ease her mind, he lowered his whole body and pressed himself flush against her, trapping her between him and the forest floor. She did not seem to mind, and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him even closer than was possible. She moaned as his left hand ran down her leg to her ankle, slipping under the hem of her dress and slowly pushing the fabric up, his long fingers greedily feeling every inch of skin exposed to him as their tongues fought over dominance. His hand wrapped around the back of her thigh, just below her bottom, and he shifted her, so as to better rest against her core, rocking forward and sliding her back upwards against the forest floor. Their kiss broke at a throaty moan escaping her, and Legolas groaned into the crook of her neck at the incredible Heat flowing off her in waves.

" _Monah_? _Monah_ , where are you, supper is nearly rea—" Aragorn stopped, rooted to the spot, his eyebrows raised in surprise and a flush on his cheeks at what he had walked into. He turned on his heel and walked back into the woods.

Legolas and Ruby lay frozen, listening to his footsteps. When they were sure he was gone, a common sigh was released between them.

"He's going to kill me." Legolas whined into Ruby's shoulder. She chuckled as she pushed him off her and sat up, adjusting her dress.

"No. But he will have some choice words for you, I'm sure." She watched Legolas stand and accepted his hand as he hoisted her up. Ruby bent down to pick up his tunic and turned back to see him snapping his eyes up to her face, a sheepish grin in place. "Especially if you keep doing that." A pouty smirk spread across her face as she sashayed closer to him and helped him with his tunic. "I'll try to calm him. And you try to calm yourself before you follow." Her eyes snapped to the bulge in his pants before she stood on the tips of her toes to press a kiss to his lips. Legolas took a deep breath and watched her leave.

"Enjoyed the show?" He asked, as soon as her footsteps could no longer be heard. Turning his eyes to the left, he saw Haldir emerge from the treeline.

"Indeed. You should have seen her hunting. Do you know what you're getting into?" The Marchwarden leaned against a tree and smirked at him.

"More than you will ever know. Treasure your memories with her. That is all you will ever have." Legolas left. He was in no way threatened by the Marchwarden, or jealous of him. He knew very well that Ruby had had other partners. She had needs. He did the same, and knew she was aware of that.

* * *

 _Translations:_

 _meleth nîn - my love_

 _Gin iallon. - I beg of you._

 _Ai! - Ouch!_

 _shir - dear_

 _Ful laagnu... - So restless..._

 _Ci sui 'lî erin lam nîn. - You are like honey on my tongue._

 _Zu'u hind soven voth hi. - I wish secret with you._

 _Ruz Zu'u fen mindov hi. - Then I will teach you._

 _Miin - Eye_

 _Sumaar - Nose_

 _Zahr - Mouth_

 _Kroslen - Lips_

 _Vun - Tongue_

 _Rax - Teeth_

 _Zu'u kovir rax. - I enjoy teeth._

 _Vir pogaas dreh hi kovir rax? - How much do you enjoy teeth?_

 _Honiir - Ear_

 _Zu'u kovir rax nau honiir. - I enjoy teeth on ear._

 _Avo dharo! - Don't stop!_

 _Fos dreh hi laan? - What do you want?_

 _Hil - Heart_

 _Zu'u hil hi. - I heart you._

 _Fah gut tiid. - For far time._

 _Zu'u lost lokaal hi fah rinik lingrah tiid. - I have loved you for a very long time._

 _Zu'u ahk lokaal hi. - I also love you._


	22. Chapter 22

Ruby followed the smell of food. She found most of the Fellowship gathered around the fire, impatiently prodding at the raw meat, waiting for it to cook. Except for Aragorn, who was sulking on the floor, leaning on his cot under a large tree root. She walked over to him and sat down by his shoulder. She watched him brood, his arms crossed over his chest, glaring at the roasting meat. If he had been a dragon, the deer would be charred by now. Ruby had to suppress a chuckle. Not having done a good job of that, she steeled her expression when his head snapped up and his angry gaze turned to her.

"Why are you so upset?" she asked, not letting his moodiness get to her. He merely grumbled incoherently and turned back to glare at the meat as if it had offended his ancestors. " _Mal Jun_ , don't be like that. Can you not be happy for me?" she knelt down next to him. " _Yunkliin_ , look at me." He did. "Have I offended you so?" Ruby thought it must be strange for Aragorn to be angry at her finally being together with Legolas, who he always seemed to approve of.

"No, _Monah_." Aragorn uncrossed his arms and held his mother's hand in his. "I just..." he flushed and looked away huffing.

"What, _shir_?" she prodded.

"I...don't want to lose you." Aragorn knew how childish he sounded. He looked back at Ruby to see her reaction.

"Now you listen carefully, young Man." He cringed at her tone. It had been years since she had used it on him, and he regretted his words. "I will never love anyone the way I love you. You are my darling boy, even if you are not of my own spawn." She rubbed at her scar absentmindedly. "You will always hold a special place in my heart that no one else can take. No matter their race or connection to me. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, _Monah_." Aragorn sighed as he rested his head on her shoulder, letting her Heat envelop him as her arms pulled him into a hug. "But I _will_ speak with him."

"I would not expect anything else." Ruby smiled and let him go, not before kissing him on the cheek and scratching at his beard. She stood, letting him plan his threats in peace as she walked over to the fire and settled herself on a cushion large enough for three of her to sit comfortably.

"Milady?" Boromir approached her. Ruby refrained from rolling her eyes at the tile and turned to him with a smile.

"Yes, Milord?" she joked.

"Is he alright?" he nodded towards Aragorn without noticing the joke. "He went out to search for you and the Elf, but came back so soon, looking...well..."

"Murderous?" Ruby chuckled.

"Yes." Boromir managed a weak smile. Ruby narrowed her eyes. There was something wrong with him.

"He's fine." She assured him. "There, see?" they watched as he stood and strode over to Legolas, who had just entered the campsite. His path to Ruby was blocked by an angry looking Ranger.

Now, let it be known that Legolas was a very tall Elf, only ten centimetres shorter than his father's impressive height of 2m20, and though lithe and athletic, he had his fair share of muscles and strength. But Aragorn was of the Dúnedain, and though another ten centimetres shorter than Legolas, was much broader and muscular. His shaggy appearance, even after having bathed gave him an air of danger, and his piercing silver-blue eyes inspired fear in those he wished to intimidate. Which, in this case, was Legolas.

" _Estel_." Legolas greeted carefully.

"I'm going to make something very clear to you, _mellon nîn_." Aragorn refrained from pulling his dagger and holding it to Legolas' throat. "If you harm my _Monah_ in any way," he stepped closer until their chests nearly touched. Legolas, being taller than most, did not easily feel intimidated, but this was one of those rare times. "I will rip out your spine." Legolas had seen Aragorn angry before, but that anger was never directed at him.

"I understand." He said seriously. "And I shall tell you this, _mellon nîn_." Legolas took the tiny step needed for their chests to bump and used his height to his advantage, coupled with the derisive look he had copied from his father. "I have known _Dovahmiin_ for centuries longer than you have even _existed_. I will not stand here and listen to how you accuse me of even considering harming her. I have protected, soothed, accompanied, supported and loved your mother for as long as I have known her, _child_. Do not mistake me for some dead Dwarf, drunk with the promise of treasure, some Human, blinded by her superficial appearance, or any other creature she might or might not have had relations with. I have met them, and I know how to treat someone as deserving of love and praise as her. Take care how you speak to me, mortal. I will not have my love for her mocked."

A tense silence followed as the Fellowship watched them stare each other down, until Ruby thought enough testosterone had been released.

"Boys, that's enough. Step away from each other." She watched them carefully as they approached the fire and sat down, Legolas on the same cushion as her, Aragorn beside Boromir on the other side of the fire. Ruby leaned her back on Legolas' side and craned her head back to rest it on his shoulder. He lowered his head to look at her inquisitively. She smiled sweetly at him, but it did not reach her eyes. "Do not speak to my son in that horrible tone you have inherited from your father ever again." She spoke lowly enough so the rest of the Fellowship wouldn't hear. "I will forgive you this time because he was also out of line, and I understand you needed to defend your motives." Legolas lowered his head further and nuzzled her ear, watching Aragorn watch them in turn across the fire. Boromir tried engaging him in conversation, and at a warning glare from Ruby, he finally paid attention to the other Man.

They ate in long awaited peace, talking freely and enjoying their warm meal. Ruby was satisfied with her previous meal. She felt like she had taken advantage of Galadriel's good will to let her hunt, but then again, the guilt was small after what she had to see in that damned mirror. After two rabbits, a hog and a bird she had not ever seen before (but tasted splendidly), she had washed herself in the river before Legolas came around. So, when Sam offered her a plate of dark meat with some rice, she politely declined. He seemed a bit disheartened, but the plate soon vanished in the hands of Merry, who was stuffing himself.

* * *

 _Translations:_

 _Mal Jun - Little Kig (Aragorn)_

 _Yunkliin - Hatchling_

 _Estel - Hope (Aragorn)_

 _mellon nîn - my friend_


	23. Chapter 23

It was late into the night when the Fellowship was finally asleep. Ruby and Legolas were the only ones still awake, sitting by the fire. Legolas had his head in Ruby's lap and was enjoying her fingers running through his hair when he opened his eyes and frowned at the canopy of trees. He turned his head to see that Ruby was barely awake, staring with unfocused eyes at the fire.

"Let's go see the stars." He pulled Ruby away from the land of dreams as he rose. Taking her hand in his, he led her through the trees until they reached a secluded clearing. Craning his neck back, he ignored the strain of his burnt skin as he saw the twinkling specks of light against the dark backdrop of night. Settling down, they lay side by side, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Do you think we could travel to Tamriel once this quest is over?" Legolas suddenly spoke up. "I would love to know your home."

"Tamriel is not my home." Ruby still had her eyes closed.

"But is that not where you hail from?" Legolas turned his head to watch her frown.

"I was born there. But I don't have a home." Her voice was strained.

"Of course you do." Legolas propped himself on his right elbow and looked down at her. "Your home is with me." He caressed her cheek and bent down to kiss her. "I'm never letting you go."

"Who says I want to go?" She shifted and straddled his thighs, kissing him once again and pushing him on his back. "You're stuck with me now." Legolas would not relinquish control so easily, and rolled them over, pinning her down. "Let's hope Aragorn stays put this time." Ruby tilted her head to give Legolas better access to her neck and felt his breathy laugh tickle her skin. He ran his tongue over her goosebumps, making them even more prominent.

He leaned on his right arm, letting his left slide over the soft silk of her dress, running his palm down the curve of her waist, under her bottom, over her taut stomach and stopped to wrap his fingers around a soft, warm mound of flesh. All the while, his eyes followed his hand, watching how the body beneath him reacted to his touches. _Mîruin_ was still controlling her breathing, though small sighs escaped her lips as certain parts of her body were touched. Legolas committed these to memory and continued exploring. Ruby, however, was not so patient. Her hands wriggled to his buttons, and made quick work of them, popping out a few in her haste. She frowned at his bandages, and ran a hand carefully over them, checking their state. Satisfied, she continued pushing the tunic down Legolas' shoulders. As he pulled his arms from the constricting fabric, he felt fingers on the ties of his trousers.

He softly pushed them away and ignored an impatient huff from Ruby. Leaning down to capture her lips once more, he let out an appreciative purr as her fingers buried themselves in his hair and his scalp was lightly scratched. His hands roamed back down her body, bunching up her dress, until skin met skin. Their kiss was broken as Legolas started kissing a trail down her neck while his hands travelled farther up, sliding her dress over her breasts, finally freeing them. He watched as, in the chilly night air, dark rose peaks formed. He took one into his mouth as Ruby managed to slip completely out of the dress and cried out in surprise. His tongue circled the hard nub as his sensitive ears picked up the sound of her heart rate rising.

Resting comfortably on his knees, Legolas took her waist in his right hand and slowly tickled her side as he lowered his left hand to grasp behind her right knee. Through her haze, Ruby managed to accommodate him better between her thighs and groaned in frustration as she noticed he still had his trousers on.

" _Avo rinc_." He whispered into her ear. Escaping her searching lips, he began his path down her neck anew. His right hand rose to one of her nipples and rolled it lightly as his lips reached the valley between her breasts. In the middle of her warm chest, her scent was strongest, and he inhaled greedily as his left hand ghosted up her thigh. A nibble was given to the lower curve of her breast as his fingers finally found moist Heat. Without missing a beat, he gently probed one finger in as he let heard her moans rise. Another finger joined its brother, and turning his palm up, Legolas curved his fingers. A cry and a jolt startled him, making his stop his ministrations and look up at Ruby's flushed face. A hand clawed its way into his hair and jerked him upwards, crushing their faces together in a sloppy kiss.

"Don't stop." She gasped sharply as his fingers curved and pressed against a spongy spot inside her. "Ah! Legolas!" Hearing his name made him want to make her come undone at the seams, so, with a swift kiss, he lowered his body until he was hovering just above the dark shadow where his fingers had disappeared to. "Wh-what are you do—oooh—ohhh!" All coherent thought left Ruby as Legolas pressed his flat tongue to her core and shamelessly licked her, an unabashed grin plastered on his face. He kept his eyes fixed on Ruby's face as her hand shot down to tangle in his hair again, and he allowed her to smush his face into her. Mapping unknown territory with his tongue and fingers proved to be as arousing to him as it was to her. Some sharp tugs on his hair warned him to stay away from certain spots as much as soft caresses helped him get closer to those few magic spots where he would nearly stop breathing as his face was forcefully pressed against soft curls.

Then, his nose hit a bundle of nerves hidden between her folds, making her relaxed form clench violently around his tongue and fingers. Her hand released his hair to hoist herself on her elbows to enable her to see what kind of sorcery that Elf was doing to her. Legolas had not exactly located where that magic button was, so he pointed his tongue and ran it slowly but firmly from the entrance to her hot cavern up to the pinnacle of her soft dark curls. Somewhere in the middle, she spasmed slightly, her mouth forming a silent 'o'. Running it back down again, his teeth showed from under his stretched lips as he grinned mischievously. Another shudder. There.

"Legolas..." came the warning, but it only made him grin wider. He circled his tongue around that specific spot and watched her. Ruby was at a loss, whether she should pull away from the torture, or just face-fuck him. Legolas, sensing her distress, slipped his fingers from inside her and grabbed her quivering hips firmly to hold them in place as he latched his lips around her clit and sucked, flicking his longue rapidly over his newly found favourite toy.

A booming cry startled him, though not enough to make him stop his ministrations. He recognized a strangled roar somewhere in the midst of her voice, but it was soon reigned in as all the air in her lungs seemed used up and she gasped like a fish out of water.

Reaching for his tunic, he wiped his face clean of her juices and crawled over her limp, quivering form. Every touch of his fingers, every soft kiss made her twitch and moan quietly. He felt her pull at his trousers and aided her uncoordinated tugging, pushing the fabric down. Her trembling legs wrapped around his waist and weakly nudged him closer. Looking into her eyes, Legolas could see himself reflected in them; behind him, the starry sky shone in eerie hues of red. Focusing beyond the superficial image, he looked deeper, and was able to see her very soul. All her feelings, her aspirations, her wishes, her limitations, he could see them perspicuously, but most clear of all, he saw how much she loved him. Now, he had seen the way she looked at Thorin, and even in his jealous, angry state he had recognized the power of her love for him. But this...it took his breath away. By the way she was looking at him, he knew she could see just as clearly into his own fëa, and read everything from the depths of his being.

His hips angled forward, and pushed inside her. Hot, velvety tightness encased and pulsed around him in rhythm to their heartbeats. He set a slow pace. Legolas had had rougher nights, no doubt about that, and though he loathed to think about it, he knew she had too. He knew their bodies were not new to this kind of physical encounter, and they wouldn't hurt each other, but right now, he wanted to study her.

His hands still held her hips, aiding them to rise every time he pushed inside her. As he ran his hands up over her slimmer waist, he noticed her hipbones and ribs still showed a little, though not as bad as before. Her breasts, bouncing slightly at their movements shone with perspiration, a tantalizing bead running down the valley between them. Dipping his head down and poking out his tongue, he captured the bead and trailed open mouthed kisses all the way up to her jaw, where he nipped playfully.

Sighs and moans mingled between them and lost themselves in the cold night air, but Ruby's Heat provided them with a warm little bubble, where the only shudders and goosebumps were of pleasure. Legolas felt her hands pull at his shoulders, bringing him flush against her. The new angle provided them with more friction, making the beauty beneath him stutter out what he managed to recognize as a plea for more. As he sped up, their lips locked, but not for long, as the need for breath was dire.

" _Fiit zey_ , Legolas." Came the breathy moan as her neck stretched invitingly. How could he deny her? He kissed his way back down to the crook of her neck and without warning took the tense tendon between his teeth and bit down firmly.

He was ready for her jolting spasms, and eagerly anticipating the quick pulsing that threatened to choke him inside her. What startled him was the guttural swough that escaped her throat as she turned her head to press her mouth and nose to his ear. Harsh pants and breathless moans blown directly into his sensitive ear made shudders rack his body. When a long, slitted, rough, burning tongue swiped over the helix of his ear and pulled the tip between sharp teeth, he was ready to lose a chunk of flesh, but instead, a sharp nibble sent him over the edge.

Legolas' cry of mixed pain and pleasure was muffled in Ruby's bruised skin, and he held on to her for dear life, his arms wrapping around her waist and squeezing her close to him as she arched her back off the ground in ecstasy.

It took nearly a full minute for them to relax their strained muscles. It seemed like an eternal lifetime, and yet a fleeting moment. When Ruby finally relaxed and went limp in Legolas' hold, releasing his ear from between her now disguised teeth with a soothing swipe of her soft tongue, he loosened his hold on her and laid her slowly back on the grass. He detached his own teeth from her skin and looked at the damage he had done. The pale ivory skin was already bruising an ugly purple, little red lines marked where his teeth had pierced her skin. He licked the coppery, burnt taste off his lips and snapped his eyes to Ruby's face.

She was flushed, glistening with sweat, her hair in a disarray, chest heaving to try and calm her breathing, half-lidded eyes gazing lovingly at him. A trembling hand rose to unstick a few strands of blond hair from his face. He assumed his appearance was no neater than hers, but he couldn't care less. Letting his arm give away under him, he plopped ungracefully on top of Ruby, eliciting a grunt from her. Nonetheless, her arms wrapped around him and stroked his back as her breasts pillowed his head. He was still wedged inside her, so his spine was bent at an awkward arch, trying to accommodate their height differences. He slowly stretched out his back, slipping out of her heated core, both whining slightly at the loss. After making themselves comfortable, Ruby resumed caressing Legolas' back, neither feeling the need for words as their mere presence was enough for them. Legolas was nearly asleep when Ruby groaned, annoyed at some thought.

"What?" Legolas rested his chin on top of her breast to look at her annoyed face. "What is it?"

"Your father is going to be beside himself with joy." She grumbled. Her frown deepened at Legolas' laughter. "I'm serious, he's going to be a royal pain in th—hmmmph!" she was cut off with a kiss.

"We'll deal with him when the time comes." Legolas sat up and pulled her with him. "In the meantime, how about we clean ourselves up and go back to camp?"

Ruby stood with him and stretched on her tiptoes to kiss him. They wrapped their arms around each other and lost themselves in another heated kiss. Looking down on the damage he had done to her shoulder, Legolas saw she was still bleeding from a small toothmark. Leaning down, he kissed the blood away. At a shudder from her, he nibbled at the bruise, relishing in her moans of arousal. Ruby turned her head and saw the redness on Legolas's lips vanish with a swipe of his tongue.

Suddenly, he fell on his knees as a piercing pain ran over his chest. Legolas had burned himself once with a piece of hot iron in a careless moment near the fireplace. This was nothing like it. It was ten times worse. And it was gone as quickly as it started. He realized he was lying back on the floor, hands gripping his askew bandages, ears ringing and Ruby kneeling next to him, a panicked look on her face.

"Legolas? Look at me, Legolas!" her eyes were wide. "Legolas, talk to me, what happened?"

"My...chest. It burned." He pulled his bandages away to see unblemished skin. A bit red, as if he had lain in the sun without a shirt, but void of any wounds. "I...think I swallowed some of your blood. Didn't you say in your vision you cured a child?" he was careful of his words.

"Legolas, I don't know what my blood can do to you!" Ruby helped him sit. She was nearing hysterics. Any relaxation she had in her muscles from their lovemaking was gone.

" _Hîdh, Dovahmiin_." He kissed her nose. "It was barely a drop, I'm sure I'll be fine."

Ruby grumbled under her breath and looked at him sceptically, but dropped the subject. They dressed and slowly made their way back to camp.

* * *

 _Translations:_

 _avo rinc - don't move_

 _Fiit zey - Bite me_

 _hîdh - peace_


	24. Chapter 24

Ruby was checking Boromir's shoulder as Aragorn approached Legolas once more.

"If you're going to keep threatening me every time I am alone with Ruby, this is going to be an even more stressful quest." Legolas was in too good a mood to deal with a jealous child at the moment. He sat on the large cushion he had shared with Ruby before.

"Indeed." Aragorn took a seat on a nearby cushion. "That is why I came to apologise." Legolas looked up at him. "I did mean what I said. But I am happy for both of you." He tilted his head and touched his palm to his heart in the typical elven greeting.

" _Ci vilui, mellon nîn_." Legolas returned the gesture. "I also meant what I said, but I am glad to hear you do not oppose our union."

"Are you at each other's throats again?" Ruby deemed Boromir's shoulder acceptable and had checked on the Hobbits, scolding Frodo for not eating properly, her arguments being backed up by Sam. She passed Aragorn and ruffled his hair affectionately before lowering herself beside Legolas.

"No, _meleth nîn_. _N'dela no'ta_ , we have made peace."

"Good. Now, I want to ask for your help." She turned to Aragorn who raised his eyebrows in question with a surprised smile on his face. " _Mu praag wah mindov mok Dovahzul_."

" _Ai, monah, los nii saad praagek wah donth zey kotin daar? Zu'u worax hin usliik mindovaat voth mok, Zu'u taavin wah_ —"

" _Nii los riid wah zey tol rok mindos dii diistaak tinvok. Zu'u fund bal hin hiif._ " Ruby's tone took a more threatening note.

" _Zu'u los ni saak hefhah. Zu'u mindok mal rot_." Legolas argued in his thick _Sindar_ accent. Aragorn looked surprised at his outburst, but a smile tugged at his lips.

" _Mu praag wah kroson nau hin tinviis, fahdon._ _Nigein fen korah hi los Dovah_."

Ruby smiled in thanks and tilted her head up to kiss Legolas' jaw, who lowered his face to receive another sweet kiss on the lips.

It was difficult to keep time in Lothlórien, but they gathered they had been there for nearly two weeks. The Fellowship had grown tightly knit, now that they had had time to get to know each other. Ruby's camp had been abandoned in favour of keeping everyone together, and was only visited when she and Legolas stole away from the others when things got too heated for them.

Other than that, Ruby's habit had rubbed off on them, and they had dragged their mattresses closer to the fire, collected all the cushions and pillows they could find, and scattered them around in a messy circle, forming what Pippin had creatively called a 'feather pond'. The fire in the middle of their 'pond' was always ablaze and controlled, keeping them warm in the chilly days of autumn. There, they gathered for their meals, midday naps and general social interactions, except for a smaller bunch of cushions by a nearby Sequoia tree. It was in plain view and range of the main campsite, but not in the immediate vicinity. There, as Pippin helpfully explained one evening, Legolas had built a 'love nest' for him and Ruby.

Haldir had made fast friends with them, and had come by nearly every day around the end of the afternoon when his duties were over to make merry. He had bickered quite a lot with Gimli on the first few days, but they had made peace at an irritated snap from Ruby, who was trying to listen to Legolas as he read poetry to her. Such sappy behaviour was made fun of by Boromir and Haldir at first, but when they saw how Ruby paid rapt attention to her lover's words, doe-eyed and breathless, they had ceased their laughter and stealthily tried to decipher the book he was reading. For academic purposes, of course. They quieted down as Legolas turned a page, waiting for Ruby to settle down again after her outburst. She sat between his legs, her back to his chest, her head leaned back on his shoulder as he browsed through the pages of the book in his hands. Deciding on a piece of work, he rested his cheek on Ruby's head and started reading quietly, so as not to disturb the others.

"I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart)  
I am never without it (anywhere I go you go, my dear;  
and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)  
I fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet)  
I want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)  
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant  
and whatever a sun will always sing is you  
here is the deepest secret nobody knows  
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud  
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;  
which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)  
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart  
I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)"

Ruby took the book from his hand and hummed appreciatively as arms wrapped around her torso. She blinked in true Legolas fashion at a specific poem that caught her eye. She held the book open and looked back at him, a pleading look in her eyes. He chuckled and focused on the words before him.

"Some say the world will end in fire,  
Some say in ice.  
From what I've tasted of desire  
I hold with those who favour fire.  
But if it had to perish twice,  
I think I know enough of hate  
To say that for destruction ice  
Is also great  
And would suffice."

"You know..." Merry declared loudly from his seat next to Haldir, "where I come from, we profess our love to our dears with our own words? Have you none of those, or do Elves just carelessly use the words of others?" he turned to Legolas expectantly. Ruby was about to scold him for putting Legolas on the spot, but the Elf merely smirked at the little troublemaker and took his book gently from Ruby's hands. He flipped to the very end of the pages, where there had been enough space for him to scrawl a draft.

" _Meleth nîn  
_ _Bain nîn  
_ _I Ithil ned fuin nîn  
_ _I tinu ned hen nîn  
_ _Maethor nîn  
_ _I caun ned dîn nîn  
_ _I athrad ned men nîn  
_ _Meleth nîn_ "

"Did you write that for me?" Ruby tilted her head back to see Legolas nod and smile shyly, waiting for her opinion. "I love it." She took his cheek in her palm and pulled him closer for a kiss. "I love you." They kissed again, the book falling to the floor, forgotten, as Ruby was twisted in her seat. Their kiss slowly got more aggressive and vocal, when Gimli had enough.

"Now, see here!" they jumped in alarm at Gimli's outburst. "This is precisely the kind of thing I will not tolerate any longer! Public displays of affection make me uncomfortable. Keep your hands and other body parts to yourself when in the presence of others. And consider our hearing range!" A round of laughter made a blush creep up Ruby's neck. "And if you're going to mark each other, do it where clothing can cover the bruise!" Another wave of laughter made even Legolas' ears turn pink. Aragorn and Boromir were grinning widely and laughing openly, their pipes nearly falling from their grasps, the Hobbits were in stitches, even Frodo was giggling to himself.

"Milady?" Sam called after they had calmed a bit. When Ruby pulled her face from where she had buried it in Legolas' chest and looked at him, he asked. "Can you sing us another song? Or tell us a story? If you don't mind, of course."

"Well, Sam, since you asked so nicely." Ruby moved closer to them, putting distance between her and Legolas in hopes of cooling off a bit, but the determined Elf merely followed her. She sighed in acceptance, her back leaning on Legolas' chest as he propped himself on a triangular pillow, comfortably stretched out alongside her. Aragorn swiftly emptied and cleaned his pipe, promptly marching over and laying his head on Ruby's lap. At Legolas' perplexed stare, he huffed.

"She's still my mother. If I have to share, so do you." He petulantly pouted and snuggled deeper into the lap under his head as said mother tried to smother her giggles. Boromir and Gimli nearly choked on their pipe smoke. "Is there a problem?" he raised his head to glare at them. They were so breathless from laughter that they could only shake their heads in an attempt to steer clear of his wrath. "I thought not."

They calmed their chuckles and focused on Ruby, who was busy trying to remember a story.

"Perhaps something about food?" Sam asked hopefully. "There are verses back home, but no proper stories..."

"Well, perhaps if you recount those verses I might remember more easily?" Ruby smiled encouragingly at him. With a bit of coaxing, mainly from the other Hobbits, Sam cleared his throat and began:

"Upon the green and grassy earth  
There many fine things grow.  
Dandelions, turnips,  
And our favourite Potato!  
But never has the soil brought  
A morsel quite so grand  
As the jolly, lumpy Mushroom,  
That nurtures all the land!  
Hurrah for the Mushroom!  
May they bless and fill your store!  
May you have a thousand mushrooms,  
And then have a thousand more!"

Ruby clapped along with the others and smiled, remembering her favourite mushroom pie, courtesy of Radagast. She buried her hands in Aragorn's hair and started working out the knots with her fingers as she started her own tale.

"I read this story in Athyn Muendil's journal, a Dunmer...um..." she looked sheepish at her disclosing her acquaintance's roots. "...trader."

"She means 'thief'." Aragorn not so helpfully added, before one of the tangles in his hair was harshly pulled undone.

"Thank you for your input, but I'm telling the story." She waited for the chuckles to die down. "It was called 'The Cake and The Diamond'.

'I was in the Rat and the Pot, a foreigner cornerclub in Ald'ruhn, talking to my fellow Rats when I first saw the woman. Now, Breton women are fairly common in the Rat and the Pot. As a breed, they seem inclined to wander far from their perches in High Rock. Old Breton women, however, are not so migratory, and the wizened old biddy drew attention to herself, wandering about the room, talking to everyone.

Nimloth and Oediad were at their usual places, drinking their usual stuff. Oediad was showing off a prize he had picked up in some illicit manner—a colossal diamond, large as a baby's hand, and clear as spring water. I was admiring it when I heard the creaking of old bones behind me.

"Good day to you, friends," said the old woman. "My name is Abelle Chriditte, and I am in need of financial assistance to facilitate my transportation to Ald Redaynia."

"You'll want to see the Temple for charity," said Nimloth curtly.

"I am not looking for charity," said Abelle. "I'm looking to barter services."

"Don't make me sick, old woman," laughed Oediad.

"Did you say your name was Abelle Chriditte?" I asked, "Are you related to Abelle Chriditte, the High Rock alchemist?"

"Closely related," she said, with a cackle. "We are the same person. Perhaps I could prepare you a potion in exchange for gold? I noticed that you have in your possession a very fine diamond. The magical qualities of diamonds are boundless."

"Sorry, old woman, I ain't giving it up for magic. It was trouble enough stealing this one," said Oediad. "I've got a fence who'll trade it for gold."

"But your fence will demand a certain percentage, will he not? What if I could give you a potion of invisibility in exchange? In return for that diamond, you could have the means to steal many more. A very fair exchange of services, I would say."

"It would be, but I have no gold to give you," said Oediad.

"I'll take what remains of the diamond after I've made the potion," said Abelle. "If you took it to the Mages Guild, you'd have to supply all the other ingredients and pay for it as well. But I learned my craft in the wild, where no Potion-makers existed to dissolve diamonds into dust. When you must do it all by hand, by simple skill, you are blessed with remnants those fool potion-makers at the Guild simply swallow up."

"That sounds all very nice," said Nimloth, "But how do we know your potion is going to work? If you make one potion, take the rest of Oediad's diamond, and leave, we won't know until you've gone whether the potion works or not."

"Ah, trust is so rare these days," sighed Abelle. "I suppose I could make two potions for you, and there'd still be a little bit of the diamond left for me. Not a lot, but perhaps enough to get me to Ald Redaynia. Then you could try the first potion right here and now, and see if you're satisfied or not."

"But," I interjected. "You could make one potion that works and one that doesn't, and take more of the diamond. She could even give you a slow-acting poison, and by the time she got to Ald Redaynia, you'd be dead."

"Bleedin' Kynareth, you Dunmer are suspicious! I will hardly have any diamond left, but I could make two potions of two doses each, so you can satisfy yourself that the potion works and has no negative effects. If you still don't trust me, come along with me to my table and witness my craft if you'd like."

So it was decided that I would accompany Abelle back to her table where she had all her travelling bags full of herbs and minerals, to make certain that she was not making two different potions. It took nearly an hour of preparation, but she kindly allowed me to finish her half-filled flagon of wine while I watched her work. Splintering the diamond and powdering the pieces required the bulk of the time; over and over again, she waved her gnarled hands over the gem, intoning ancient enchantments, breaking the facets of the stone into smaller and smaller pieces. Separately she made pastes of minced bittergreen, crushed red bulbs of dell'arco spae, and driblets of ciciliani oil. I finished the wine.

"Old woman," I finally said with a sigh. "How much longer is this going to take? I'm getting tired of watching you work."

"The Mages Guild has fooled the populace into thinking alchemy is a science," she said. "But if you're tired, rest your eyes."

My eyes closed, seemingly of their own volition. But there had been something in that wine. Something that made me do what she asked.

"I think I'll make up the potion as cakes. It's much more potent that way. Now, tell me, young man, what will your friends do once I give them the potion?"

"Mug you in the street afterwards to retrieve the rest of the diamond," I said simply. I didn't want to tell the truth, but there it was.

"I thought so, but I wanted to be certain. You may open your eyes now."

I opened my eyes. Abelle had made a small presentation on a wooden platter: two small cakes and a silver cutting knife.

"Pick up the cakes and bring them to the table," said Abelle. "And don't say anything, except to agree with whatever I say."

I did as I was told. It was a curious sensation. I didn't really mind being her puppet. Of course, in retrospect, I resent it, but it seemed perfectly natural at the time to obey without question.

Abelle handed the cakes to Oediad and I dutifully verified that both cakes were made the same way. She suggested that he cut one of the cakes in half, and she would take one piece and he'd take the other, just so he would know that they worked and weren't poisoned. Oediad thought it was a good idea, and used Abelle's knife to cut the cake. Abelle took the piece on the left and popped into her mouth. Oediad took the piece on the right and swallowed it more cautiously.

Abelle and all the bags she was carrying vanished from sight almost instantly. Nothing happened to Oediad.

"Why did it work for the witch and not for me?" cried Oediad.

"Because the diamond dust was only on the left-hand side of the blade," said the old alchemist through me. I felt her control lessening as the distance grew and she hurried invisibly down the dark Ald'ruhn street away from the Rat and the Pot.

We never found Abelle Chriditte or the diamond. Whether she completed her pilgrimage to Ald Redaynia is anyone's guess. The cakes had no effect, except to give Oediad a bad case of droops that lasted for nearly a week."

"There's a lesson to be learned from this story." Aragorn piped up again. Ruby looked down at him in apprehension. He looked up, thinking better about whatever it was he was going to say. "Nevermind, or else my mother will never feed me again." Ruby gasped in mock horror.

"I have _never_ withheld food from you, you ungrateful brat!" she shrieked indignantly over his laughter. He sat up and bid the others goodnight. He turned to bid Ruby goodnight. He had to reach out and hold her evading face to be able to land a kiss on her cheek. "I'll remember this, _skah_." She grumbled. When he placed another scratchy kiss on her cheek she finally smiled, and scratched his beard lovingly. " _Laag, mal zaunig_."

As he left, Legolas lowered his head to nuzzle the crook of her neck and kissed the mark he had left there, making Ruby shiver. He spoke lowly to her:

"When all of this is over, I'd like to visit Tamriel." He felt her pause. "I'd like to know where you come from."

"You'd have to leave everything you know behind. I can't ask that of you." She turned so they were laying facing each other.

"You're not asking for anything, I am. And _you_ are my everything, when are you going to get that through your thick head?" he poked her forehead.

Ruby smiled. There was much to plan. But for now they had to finish this quest. Or else travelling to Tamriel might not be a choice, but a necessity. She would hate to _flee_.

* * *

Ruby had plagued dreams that night, but waking up in Legolas' arms made her feel better. She spent a few minutes just lying there, looking at him. His lashes touched his high cheekbones and his lips were parted. He squirmed in his sleep and pulled her closer. She kissed his chin and nuzzled his nose. Hazy blue eyes opened and went cross trying to focus on her face so close. She giggled and kissed his lips. Legolas hummed and kissed her back, chastely but full of love. He wrapped his arms tighter around her and kissed the top of her head.

"Good morning, beautiful." He rasped out.

"Indeed." Ruby closed her eyes and breathed in his earthly scent.

"Come on, lovebirds. The boats leave in an hour." Gimli called back to them. The couple detangled themselves to get ready, but not without a regretful sigh. Lothlórien was easy to get used to.

* * *

They were each given an Elven cloak. As the Lord and Lady of the woods approached them.

"Never before have we clad strangers in the garb of our own people. May these cloaks help shield you from unfriendly eyes." Celeborn declared. He waved Aragorn to him and walked a ways off to talk as his wife paced among the Fellowship handing out gifts and parting words.

"My gift for you, Legolas, is a bow of the Galadhrim." She gestured to a servant who brought the weapon. "Worthy of the skill of our woodland kin." Legolas looked at the bow in wonder, nearly forgetting to thank her.

Merry and Pippin unsheathe the daggers they were given. "These are the daggers of the Noldorin. They have already seen service in war. Do not fear, young Peregrin Took. You will find your courage. And for you, Samwise Gamgee, Elven rope made of hithlain."

"Thank you, my lady. Have you run out of those nice, shiny daggers?" He asked sheepishly, to witch she only smiled.

"And what gift would a dwarf ask of the Elves?" she turned to Gimli.

"Nothing. Except to look upon the lady of the Galadhrim one last time, for she is more fair than all the jewels beneath the earth." Gimli's beard can barely hide his blush. Galadriel laughed openly and Gimli started to turn away, before turning around again. "Actually, there was one thing." He paused, then muttered to himself. "No, no, I couldn't. It's quite impossible. Stupid to ask…" he started to turn again. She put a hand on his shoulder and steered him away.

Ruby watched Legolas caress his new bow. She could hear Galadriel speak lowly to Gimli, then Aragorn, and finally Frodo. All the while, she was thinking about the task ahead and how they would proceed. She was sunk so deeply in thought, she did not notice Galadriel in front of her until a hand was waved in her face. She snapped her eyes up.

"Ruby." Galadriel smiled at her. "I believe this is our last time meeting." Ruby nodded. Though she did not spend happy times in Lothlórien while searching for her past, Galadriel was always supportive and helpful. In her own way. "This will help you see when you are lost." She handed her a fragment of broken silver. Ruby recognized the incomplete engraving in one of the edges.

"You broke it?" Ruby blinked disbelievingly at her. "But the mirror is—"

"Too dangerous to leave behind. Where I am going, I have no need for it." She explained. "But perhaps it can still help you." Ruby nodded dumbly.

* * *

 _Translations:_

 _Ci vilui - Thank you._

 _n'dela no'ta - don't worry about it_

 _Mu praag wah mindov mok Dovahzul. - We need to teach him Dragon language._

 _Ai, monah, los nii saad praagek wah donth zey kotin daar? Zu'u worax hin usliik mindovaat voth mok, Zu'u taavin wah - Ai, mother, is it really necessary to cart me into this? I saw your former teaching with him, I refuse to_

 _Nii los riid wah zey tol rok mindos dii diistaak tinvok. Zu'u fund bal hin hiif. - It is important to me that he learn my native language. I would appreciate your help._

 _Zu'u los ni saak hefhah. Zu'u mindok mal rot. - I am not big idiot. I know little word._

 _Mu praag wah kroson nau hin tinviis, fahdon. Nigein fen korah hi los Dovah. - We need to work on your accent, friend. Noone will believe you are a Dragon._

 _Poem: I carry your heart (e.e cummings)_

 _Poem: Fire and Ice (Robert Frost)_

 _Poem: Meleth nîn (Jonathan, from .com)_

 _Meleth nîn - My Love_

 _Bain nîn - My beautiful_

 _I Ithil ned fuin nîn - The moon in my night_

 _I tinu ned hen nîn - The star in my eye_

 _Maethor nîn - My warrior_

 _I caun ned dîn nîn - The outcry in my silence_

 _I athrad ned men nîn - The crossing of my road_

 _Meleth nîn - My love_

 _Poem: Ode to the Mushroom (Jonathan, from .com)_

 _skah - scourge_

 _Laag, mal zaunig. - Sleep, little devil._


	25. Chapter 25

_This is it, my dears! The final chapter! I'd like to thank you all for accompanying Ruby on her adventures, and to stay tuned for the second film (or fifth, if you count the Hobbit's three films first. Funny how directors can't count, it's the same with Star Wars...Or Windows...), coming up perhaps even this week! I love you all, especially those of you who review! I have a tiny little surprise for you. Those of you who guess correctly, get not one, not two, but THREE, yes, three suggestions to the next part of Ruby's quest! I say 'suggestion', because if you have a shitty idea, I'm not going to use it. Come on, guys, I'm not THAT nice, you should know me well enough by now..._

* * *

"I have taken my worst wound at this parting, having looked my last upon that which is fairest." Gimli sighed as they watched Galadriel wave at them from the bank of the river. "Henceforth I will call nothing fair unless it be her gift to me."

"What was her gift?" Legolas prodded.

"I asked her for one hair from her golden head." he paused and touched his chest. "She gave me three."

* * *

The Fellowship glided all day silently on the river, stopping for the night on the banks of the eastern shore. Ruby was busy coaxing Legolas to grow them soft beds out of natural elements and control a small fire.

"I should have made you practice in Lothlórien!" she scolded him.

"In my defence, we practised a lot of th—ow!" he rubbed his arm where she slapped him, an angry blush growing on her cheeks.

Aragorn approached Boromir, who was looking at something moving in the water.

"Gollum." He clarified. "He has tracked us since Moria. I had hoped we would lose him on the river. But he's too clever a waterman."

"And if he alerts the enemy to our whereabouts, it will make the crossing even more dangerous." Boromir worried. "Minas Tirith is the safer road. You know that. From there we can regroup. Strike out for Mordor from a place of strength."

"There is no strength in Gondor that can avail us." Aragorn was not in the mood for this conversation.

"You were quick enough to trust the Elves. Have you so little faith in your own people? Yes, there is weakness. There is frailty. But there is courage also, and honour to be found in Men. But you will not see that." Aragorn started to turn away, but Boromir yanked him back. "You are afraid! All your life, you have hidden in the shadows. Scared of who you are, of what you are."

"I will not lead the Ring within a hundred leagues of your city." Aragorn finally snapped. He went to sulk by a fallen branch, watching the water.

* * *

The next morning, everyone was in the boats again, having dearly missed the comforts of Lothlórien, even with Legolas' natural manipulation on their side. Rowing down the Anduin, Aragorn tapped Frodo on the shoulder.

"Frodo. The Argonath! Long have I desired to look upon the kings of old. My kin." He stared in awe at the towering splendour of the two proud statues. Their left arms were held aloft, their palms facing outwards in a gesture of warning. Stern were their faces. Ruby had seen them many times before, and even perched on their heads, scratching the stone for better grip. She snickered at the thought of her vandalism. As she watched Aragorn behold his ancestors, she saw him open up a little more to his fate.

The Fellowship reached the foot of Amon Hen, the Hill of Sight. As they anchored at the beach of Parth Galen, Boromir looked troubled and appeared to be fighting a conflict within him. The Fellowship started to make camp nonetheless.

"We cross the lake at nightfall. Hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the north." Aragorn planned.

"Oh, yes?" Gimli raised an eyebrow. "It's just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil? An impassable labyrinth of razor-sharp rocks! And after that, it gets even better!" Pippin looked up, alarmed. "Festering, stinking marshlands far as the eye can see."

"That is our road." Aragorn answered as calmly as he could. "I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf."

"Recover my—?!" Gimli muttered under his breath, but settled down. Legolas was scouting around them. He turned to Aragorn worriedly.

"We should leave now."

"No." Aragorn looked around searching for Ruby. "Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for cover of darkness."

"It is not the eastern shore that worries me. A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind. Something draws near. I can feel it." At being ignored, Legolas sighed. "She's up there." He pointed and left to stare at the water, trying to calm down.

Ruby was sitting on a higher tree branch with her back against the trunk, her eyes gleaming golden looking into the distance.

"He's right, you know." She fiddled with a dry leaf in her fingers. Aragorn climbed the tree and sat beside her. He tried to see anything in the direction she was looking at, but his eyes only saw autumn trees. He was about to respond when Merry cried, alarmed:

"Where's Frodo?"

Sam, who was half-dozing, rose with a start. Aragorn looked over the camp. His gaze stopped on Boromir's shield, lying with the baggage. No Boromir in sight.

Everyone rose to start a search. Ruby climbed even higher as the others spread out. They were torn between keeping quiet and calling out for their companions. Eventually, a noise alerted Aragorn, and a body fell next to him under the Seat of Seeing. Frodo was sitting up to catch his breath.

"Frodo?" Aragorn approached him. The hobbit started and turned around to look at him.

"It has taken Boromir." He blurted out. Aragorn took a step towards Frodo.

"Where is the Ring?" he asked lowly.

"Stay away!" Frodo scrambled up and retreated from under the Seat of Seeing. Aragorn came after him.

"Frodo!" he watched the Hobbit stop. "I swore to protect you."

"Can you protect me from yourself?" He shot back. Understanding dawned on Aragorn. "Would you destroy it?" Frodo stretched out his hand with the ring on it.

Aragorn heard the whispers as he approached.

"Aragorn… _Mal Jun_ … _Elessar_ …"

He reached out, with both hands, and closed Frodo's hand over the Ring, pushing it to the Hobbit's chest.

"I would have gone with you to the end. Into the very fires of Mordor." He choked out.

"I know. Look after the others. Especially Sam. He will not understand."

Aragorn nodded with tears in his eyes. A light by the edge of his vision caught his attention, and he turned his head to see Sting glowing blue. He stood rapidly.

"Go, Frodo." He said, drawing out his sword. "Run." He said, a little more urgently. "RUN!" he yelled as Frodo hesitated.

Finally, Frodo turned around and left. Aragorn breathed in and walked out from beneath the Seat of Seeing to find a troop of Uruk-Hai advancing towards them. He gave a half-smile, holding his sword up to his face as an acceptance to the challenge. They attack. He cut several down, but they force him up the stairs of the Seat. He only hoped the racket they were making would call the other's attention and lead them to his aid and allow Frodo to leave.

"Find the Halfling! Find the Halfling!" Ruby heard a grotesque voice. Jumping from the tree, she took out her daggers and ran towards the noise. Legolas and Gimli were already there, aiding Aragorn against the Uruk-Hai. Ruby joined the flurry, cutting down as many Uruks as she could. After what seemed like hours, but were probably minutes, three loud horn blasts were heard.

"The Horn of Gondor." Legolas looked into the distance.

"Boromir." Aragorn panted. Ruby threw a knife at an approaching enemy and looked back. Aragorn took the lead, while Gimli had to be pulled away in his eagerness to decapitate as many as he could.

They ran down the hills of Amon Hen towards the sound, but Uruks were between them and Boromir, some running towards Boromir, down the stone steps, the others attacking Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Ruby as they struggled to follow. Boromir sounded the horn of Gondor again.

"Run! Run!" He shouted to the bushes.

The Uruks kept attacking. An arrow hit Boromir's left shoulder, making him gasp for breath and stumble, dropping to his knees. Beginning to breathe hard, he faced the coming enemies and gave a battle cry, rising and swinging his sword at one, who fell. Another black arrow flew into Boromir's stomach. He dropped to his knees again, gasping. But he swung his sword at another Uruk and got back up. A third arrow, in the chest. Boromir fell on his knees and stayed there, swaying a little and blinking.

"Shire!" two small voices are heard, Merry and Pippin running into the battle, little swords raised high.

They never had the chance to strike. The Uruk-Hai lifted them up and carried them off. Merry and Pippin waved their arms frantically. The Uruk-Hai troop marched past Boromir, who stared hopelessly after the Hobbits, unable to help. The leading Uruk, now left alone, stopped ten feet from Boromir and took aim with his bow again. Boromir swallowed and stared back at him, as defiantly as he could on his knees. Just as the Uruk was about to let go of the arrow, Aragorn barreled into him with all of his weight, and the arrow flew off harmlessly and the two bodies rolled further down the hill.

Legolas and Gimli killed off the last Uruk stragglers as Ruby ran to Aragorn's aid. Aragorn had lost his sword and was pinned by the neck against a tree with a shield. Just as the Uruk made to strike, Ruby threw a knife and it embedded in the enemy's thigh. Aragorn managed to slip free and grab his sword just as the Uruk was standing again and pulling the knife from his thigh, throwing it at Ruby, but with a swift flick of his wrist, Aragorn deflected the projectile with his sword.

Aragorn closed in on the Uruk and in a flurry of swordplay, sliced his arm off and stabbed him in the chest. With a grimace and a gurgling growl, the Uruk grabbed Aragorn's sword and pulled himself closer, up to the hilt, snarling. Aragorn grimaced, pulled his sword out of his foe, swung it widely, and hacked off his head. The rest of the body fells to the ground after a second. Aragorn paused a moment, panting. He heard his mother scrambling away and turned to see her kneeling by Boromir, pale and bloodied, lying on his back, his head close to a tree.

"No." He whispered and knelt on his other side.

"—took the little ones." He was saying to Ruby.

"Hold still." Ruby attempted to cut his leather cuirass open to assess the damage, but had seemed to run out of knives.

"Frodo. Where is Frodo?" Boromir turned to Aragorn.

"I let Frodo go." Aragorn took his flailing hand and handed Ruby his boot knife.

"Then you did what I could not. I tried to take the Ring from him." Boromir's eyes were starting to unfocus.

"The Ring is beyond our reach now." Aragorn soothed. Ruby hissed at the sight of Boromir's chest. He seemed not to feel it anymore.

"Forgive me. I did not see it. I have failed you all." He started to breathe with difficulty, sobs and hiccups worsening his wounds.

"No, Boromir. You fought bravely. You have kept your honor." Ruby held back tears. She reached out to pull the arrows from Boromir, but Boromir grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Leave it! It is over. The world of Men will fall. And all will come to darkness, and my city to ruin." He lamented.

"I do not know what strength is in my blood, but I swear to you I will not let the White City fall, nor our people fail." Aragorn argued.

"Our people? Our people." Boromir started rambling, his eyes focusing on what only he could see.

"Strength in blood..." Ruby muttered, a spark in her eyes. "Strength in blood!" she looked up at a confused Aragorn. "Hold him." She reached for the arrows again.

" _Monah_..." Aragorn stopped her. "Don't make him suffer."

"I said, hold him!" she slapped his hands away and forcefully yanked the arrows out, one by one, blood gushing feely as Boromir wailed with what little strength he had left. Ruby slashed her palm open and pressed the blood swelling in it on Boromir's wounds, one by one. The Man screamed even louder as his blood began to bubble and sizzle.

"What are you doing?!" Aragorn watched in horrified amazement as the flesh knit itself together and left only smooth, albeit bloodstained skin behind. He ran his hand over it for good measure. Not a scratch. "What in the name o—?" he jolted in surprise as Boromir tensed again and started screaming once more. His wounds reopened and continued to bleed.

"No, no, no, this was supposed to work, why isn't it working?!" Ruby ran her bloodied hands through her dishevelled hair. Boromir stretched out his hand and Ruby took it.

"My lady, nothing can save me now. Let me go in peace." Ruby shook her head, clasping his hand to her chest. He detangled it from hers and ran it through the leaves on the forest floor in search of something. Aragorn placed the hilt of his sword in his hand, and Boromir clasped it to his chest. Legolas finally came running up, but stopped and watched sadly from a distance.

"I would have followed you, my brother. My captain. My king." He said, emotion in his eyes as he finally passed away. Aragorn touched his hand to his forehead, then to his lips in respect.

"Be at peace, son of Gondor." He bent and kissed Boromir on the brow. Gimli bowed his head and turned away. Aragorn stood up, looking into the forest with a tear running down his face. "They will look for his coming from the White Tower. But he will not return." Ruby hiccupped. Aragorn turned and pulled her up into an embrace, kissed her head and walked away.

* * *

Boromir was laid to rest in one of the boats. His sword rested with him, his shield above his head and his cloven horn at his side. The boat slipped over the falls of Rauros and then dropped into the mists below. They watched the boat disappear. Aragorn wore Boromir's vambraces in his honor. Legolas shoved the third boat into the water.

"Hurry! Frodo and Sam have reached the eastern shore."

Aragorn stood still, looking towards the shore on the other side, seeing the two Hobbits running into the forest. He said nothing and sighed. Legolas stared at him, suddenly understanding.

"You mean not to follow them." He stated.

"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands." Aragorn answered as he adjusted his equipment. Ruby sat on a fallen tree branch, the same one Boromir had left his back by and held her head in her hands, her elbows on her knees.

"Then it has all been in vain. The Fellowship has failed." Gimli stood, flabbergasted. Legolas and Gimli walked up to Aragorn, who put his hands on their shoulders.

"Not if we hold true to each other." He smiled. "We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death. Not while we have strength left. Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light." He turned to Ruby, pulling her up once more. "Let's hunt some Orc." Aragorn turned and picked up a dagger from the ground. Then he ran off into the forest. Legolas and Gimli looked at each other, grinning.

"Yes! Haha!" Gimli adjusted his axe and they ran after Aragorn.

Ruby sighed and looked at the Hobbits' retreating backs, then at Boromir's pack. She needed to find out about her blood. The vision in Galadriel's mirror and Legolas' wounds proved that her blood could be used for healing. She only needed to find out how. There was no time to go to Erebor, where she was sure she would find something in their library. Tamriel was too far away and their quest was too important to abandon now. She looked at the blond head rapidly vanishing through the woods. She only hoped no side effects would harm Legolas until she gathered enough information.

"Ugh." She groaned at the thought of running. Her stomach had been protesting for a few days now. She pocketed a few pieces of lembas for later, but even that made her stomach churn. That's just what she needed now to add to her distress.

"Ruby!" she heard a call from afar. Putting her worries aside, she checked if everything she thought she needed was strapped securely to her and started a light jog, slowly building up speed.

Maybe a good run would clear her head.


	26. Chapter 26

_I was tempted to make another story, but I realized it would be better to keep this one flowing. This is when the second book/film starts. Thank you to those of you who reviewed, keep the love coming!_

* * *

Ruby stopped walking to keep silent for Aragorn as he lay on the rocky terrain, listening.

"Their pace has quickened. They must have caught our scent." He rose as Ruby handed him a piece of Lembas. Turning his head, he yelled to Legolas and Gimli. "Hurry!" he ran off, but Ruby waited for their companions, blinking in the sun. Legolas came running up, turning to call back to Gimli.

"Come on, Gimli." He passed Ruby with a faint squeeze to her elbow and let his hand slide down her arm to grasp her hand. She smiled at him, passing him another piece of Elven bread and nodded for him to continue.

"Three days and nights pursuit." Gimli panted behind her. "No food, no rest, no sign of our quarry but what bare rock can tell." She handed him a piece of Lembas silently, watching him stuff it in his beard. "Many thanks. None for you?" he watched as she scrunched up her nose. "I don't like this silence on you, Lassie. But now's not the time. Onwards!" he continued running, Ruby bringing up the rear.

After many more hours, Aragorn finally stopped and knelt, picking up something shiny but dirtied and trampled off the floor.

"Not idly do the leaves of Lórien fall." He commented as Legolas ran up to him.

"They may yet be alive." He dared to smile, watching Aragorn rise.

"Less than a day ahead of us. Come." They ran off. Gimli fell out from behind a boulder and rolled down a hill, Ruby skidding to a halt next to him and helping him up, fighting a smile.

"Come! Gimli, we are gaining on them!" Legolas shouted form ahead.

"I am wasted on cross-county." He huffed. "We Dwarves are natural sprinters. Very dangerous over short distances." He ignored Ruby's giggles.

The four runners struggled through a boulder covered area, and came to a rise that over-looked a green and rocky terrain.

"Rohan. Home of the Horse-lords." Aragorn halted and let the others pass ahead of him. "There is something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures. Sets its will against us." Ruby stopped next to him.

"I feel it too." She rubbed her stomach. Aragorn watched her silently. He turned. "Legolas! What do your Elf-eyes see?" he watched as Legolas peered off into the distance.

"The Uruks turn Northeast. They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!" He reported, shocked.

"Saruman." Ruby shuddered. She felt sicker than before. She swallowed thickly and continued running. She reached Legolas and entwined their hands, running together, Legolas slowing down considerably for her. Aragorn watched her struggle to keep pace.

"How can you two be so blind?" he muttered under his breath as he caught up to Gimli.

"Keep breathing...that's the key...breathe." He glanced to the side. "Oh...Aragorn...something on your mind, Lad?"

"Have you noticed anything strange in Ruby?" he asked, Gimli's slower pace making it easier for him to speak.

"Well, she's still shaken up about Gandalf...not that we all aren't...oof...and then there's Boromir...oof...and now that you mention it...is she sick?" Gimli struggled more with speech while running. Aragorn kept quiet and trained his eyes on the two ahead of them.

"They run as if the very whips of their masters were behind them." Legolas frowned as he tried to pick up the pace. Ruby could always easily keep up with him. "Are you unwell?"

"I'm fine." She gritted out through her teeth. "Just keep going." She waved him off as she fell into step with Gimli and Aragorn, who looked at her worriedly. Aragorn had a knowing look in his eyes as he glanced at her stomach, but it wasn't pleasant. What the fuck could that little Human know about her that she didn't?

* * *

The whole night running and still no rest for them.

"A red sun rises, blood has been spilled this night." Legolas muttered to himself.

Aragorn bent down, looking at the ground. Hearing horses and standing up, he gestured to the others to follow him in hiding behind a rock. The riders of Rohan rode up over the hill a moment later. Aragorn, in seeing who they were, stepped out and spoke as loudly as he could, nearly shouting:

"Riders of Rohan, What news from the mark?" he watched as the leader gave a signal and the Riders surrounded their group, pointing their weapons at them.

"What business does an elf, a man, a Dwarf, and a harlot have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!"

"Your real name, horse master and I shall give you mine." Gimli said, before Ruby could spit out a colourful insult.

"I would cut off your head, Dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground." The Rider stepped closer. Legolas drew his bow.

"You would die before your stroke fell." He tried to reign in the anger in his voice as the spears got closer to them. Aragorn grabbed Legolas' arm and put it down. Gimli let out a sigh of relief, but Legolas was not done. "Your apologies to my Lady." He demanded. The Rider merely raised an eyebrow at Ruby, who put her hand on Legolas' chest and called his name softly.

"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn, this is Gimli, son of Gloin, Legolas, of the Woodland Realm, and Ruby, daughter of Gandalf the Grey. We are friends of Rohan, and of Théoden, your King".

"Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe." The Rider removed his helmet to reveal a handsome regal face. Éomer, if Ruby remembered correctly. "Not even his own kin." The other Riders raised their spears. "Saruman has poisoned the mind of the King and claimed lordship over his lands. My company are those loyal to Rohan, and for that we are banished. The white wizard is cunning. He walks here and there they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked, and everywhere his spies slip past our nets."

"We are no spies." Aragorn defended. "We track a party of Uruk-Hai westward across the plain. They have taken two of our friends captive."

"The Uruks are destroyed, we slaughtered them during the night." Éomer divulged.

"But there were two Hobbits." Gimli insisted, stepping forward. "Did you see two Hobbits with them?"

"They would be small, only children to your eyes." Ruby explained.

"We left none alive." Éomer was respectful. "We piled the carcasses and burned them."

"Dead?" Gimli let his hands fall.

"I am sorry." Éomer nodded. Legolas put his hand on Gimli's shoulder in comfort. They jumped as the Horselord whistled. "Hasufel, Arod." He called, and two horses trotted up to him. "May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters. Farewell." He mounted his own. "Look for your friends, but do not trust to hope. It is forsaken in these lands." He turned to his Riders. "We ride north!"

After their thundering herd passed and the dust settled down, they swiftly mounted their horses and rode swiftly towards the burning pile of Orc carcasses. Ruby held onto Aragorn as Gimli clung to Legolas. As they arrived, the smell was so pungent, they had to take a moment before they approached. Ruby clambered off the horse, nearly falling on her face as she dashed to the nearest bushes. Aragorn looked over at Legolas, who was frowning in confusion and worry. He went to her as Gimli searched through the smouldering bodies, picking up a small sword belt from the pile.

"It's one of their wee belts." He held it up.

" _Hiro hyn hîdh ab 'wanath_." Legolas was cradling a slightly green Ruby.

Aragorn couldn't take it anymore. Leaving Arwen, losing Gandalf, Boromir, two Hobbits, his Mother sick, then another two Hobbits missing, probably dead, Saruman taking over the lands...It all bubbled up and churned inside his chest, leaving his only outlet to be a helmet on the floor. He kicked it so hard, it flew in an arch, vanishing behind the nearest hill. He fell to his knees shouting in anger, frustration and pain, letting his head fall to his chest.

"We failed them." Gimli whispered. Aragorn looked at the ground, seeing tracks.

"A Hobbit lay here, and the other." He mused, running his hands over the floor. "They crawled. Their hands were bound." Aragorn crawled on the floor, following the tracks. "Their bonds were cut." He picked up a rope, examining the ends. "They ran over here. They were followed." Aragorn stood, eagerly following what he could see, the battle unfolding itself in his mind's eye. He vaguely noticed the others following him. "The tracks lead away from the battle!" He was certain they'd find them, or at least a body, they had to be sure. "Into Fangorn Forest." He finished, disheartened.

"Fangorn Forest, what madness drove them in there?" Gimli wondered. Steps shuffled behind them. Ruby had finally stood and followed them.

"Oh, finally." She seemed relieved. With a burst of energy and motivation, she easily entered the brambles. "Come long now, they're just scary stories." She called back. "Most of them..." they heard her mutter under her breath.

"That's not very comforting!" Gimli bounced in his spot, nervously.

* * *

 _Translations:_

 _Hiro hyn hîdh ab 'wanath. - May they find peace after dea_ th.


	27. Chapter 27

_This is a longer chapter, to make up for what I'm about to do. No, I'm not sorry. I have a plan._

* * *

"That's not very comforting!" Gimli bounced in his spot, nervously.

"You thought Galadriel was a Witch!" her voice was already far away. "Aragorn, I can't read tracks as well as you." They grumbled, but followed her. Immediately after crossing the forest's threshold, Legolas felt a surge go through his body. They quickly caught up to Ruby, who was kneeling by a bush, inspecting the leaves. Gimli took one between his fingers and touched them to his lips, spitting disgustedly.

"Orc blood." He scowled. "What are you doing, Lassie?" they watched Ruby rummage through the foliage, touching trees and muttering to herself.

"Trying to find something for my stomach." She answered. "Come on, I know there's some here... _ved bein dok_..."

"Black foul hound?" Aragorn translated. Then it clicked. "Black Horehound!" he searched with her. Her spirits seemed lifted in this dark woods, and if she was searching for anything medicinal to help her, he'd help. "Legolas, _ballota nigra_!" he saw the Elf's eyes light up and help the search.

"What in Mahal's name are you looking for? The tracks lead that way!" Gimli pointed with his axe. They all froze as the trees groaned. "The air is so close in here." He rose his axe in reflex. The trees creaked louder in response.

"Gimli." Ruby called. "Lower your axe." She was patting a tree next to her. "We're looking for a plant, little purple flowers, jagged leaves." She sighed as the trees calmed when he sheathed his axe on his belt.

"There's one on the other side of that tree, Lass." He pointed.

"Oh, thank you." She rummaged around, putting some leaves in her mouth, some in her pocket. She grimaced as she chewed, sitting by the tree's roots. "Yuck."

" _Mîruin_." Legolas came to kneel by her, his hands on her legs. "What is wrong?"

"I don't know." She swallowed. "I'll be fine."

Aragorn rolled his eyes. It was not his place to tell. He continued searching for tracks.

"These are strange tracks." He mused.

"This forest is old. Very old." Legolas helped Ruby up. "Full of memory and anger." They listened to the trees again. Something was picking at his mind. He turned to see Ruby smirking at him.

"You feel it." She stated. "Pay attention." She cocked her head to the side.

"The trees are speaking to each other." He widened his eyes, amazed. Ruby put one of his hands on the bark of the tree she was leaning on.

"Oh, please." Gimli walked on.

"They have feelings my friend. The Elves began it." Legolas looked up at the canopies, a small smile on his lips. "Waking up the trees, teaching them to speak."

"Talking trees. What do trees have to talk about? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings?" Gimli continued ranting, following the droplets of blood, Aragorn behind him.

Ruby had her eyes closed, a small smile on her face. She looked at Legolas. No words were needed between them. She could see the worry in his eyes. She put her hand on his cheek and caressed it with her thumb. He stepped forward and put his forehead on hers, sighing heavily, his left hand holding hers, his right curling around the back of her neck.

Suddenly, they heard something snap. A rustle. Silence.

" _Aragorn, nad no ennas!_ " Legolas hissed as they sprinted after the other two.

" _Man cenich?_ " The Man crouched, his hand at his sword, ready to draw.

"The White Wizard approaches." Ruby saw a wisp between the trees, circling them.

"Do not let him speak, he will put a spell on us." Aragorn whispered, drawing his sword. "We must be quick."

They all turned to attack, Gimli throwing his axe, Legolas loosening his bow, both being knocked aside. Aragorn's sword and Ruby's daggers turned orange with heat and they dropped them. They shielded their eyes from the bright white light the Wizard was emitting. Ruby raised her hand to counter, but a sharp pain in her abdomen made her drop her hands to her stomach and groan. She barely felt Aragorn push her behind him.

"You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits." A deep voice thundered.

"Where are they?" Aragorn demanded.

"They passed this way, day before yesterday." The voice started changing, reminding Ruby of someone, but the light was still too bright to see. "They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?"

"Who are you? Show yourself!" Aragorn blinked as the light faded. "It cannot be." He breathed.

"Forgive me!" Legolas said as he and Gimli looked on in amazement, then bowed. "I mistook you for Saruman."

"I am Saruman. Or rather, Saruman as he should have been." The Wizard passed his staff from one hand to another.

"You fell." Aragorn was still flabbergasted.

"Through fire, and water. On the lowest dungeon, on the highest peak I fought him, the Balrog of Morgoth. Until at last I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside. Darkness took me and I strayed out of thought and time. The stars field of end, and everyday was as long as a life age on the earth. But it was not the end. I felt life in me again. I've been sent back until my task is done."

"Gandalf." Aragorn was aware of how stupid he sounded. He didn't care.

"Gandalf?" The Wizard frowned, as if remembering something. "Yes, that was what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name."

"Gandalf." Gimli laughed, tears of joy and relief falling to his beard.

"I am Gandalf the White." Gandalf corrected. "And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide." He looked behind Aragorn. "Hello, my dear." He smiled.

Ruby had both her hands covering her mouth as she stood, paralyzed, looking at Gandalf, tears running down her cheeks, white streaks of clean on her dirty face. A hiccup escaped her fingers.

" _Bormah_?" she whimpered as Gandalf stepped down from the tree trunk and approached. " _Bobo_!" she threw herself at him, sobbing hysterically, clutching at him, blubbering incoherently.

"There, there, child. All is well now" he hugged her tightly. "You all need rest before we continue." He detangled her from him. "I've been living in your house for the past weeks, I hope you don't mind." Ruby shook her head and wiped her face, smiling. Gandalf led the way with Aragorn as the others filed behind. "Ruby..." he started quietly. "Is she...?"

"I believe so." Aragorn nodded.

"Do they know?" Gandalf looked back at Legolas holding her hand and looking at her fondly.

"Thickheaded as they are?" Aragorn snorted.

"Something's wrong." Gandalf frowned. "I shall see to her when we arrive. Aragorn looked worriedly back, but said nothing and continued walking.

* * *

In the twenty years or so that Ruby had been gone, not much had changed in the little clearing she called home for eighty years during her mourning. The trees were larger, yes, her garden was overgrown with unwelcome weeds, but she could see Gandalf had been tending to it as best he could.

Her house, built out of the magically enhanced hollow of a tree, was large enough for a bed, a tiny fireplace, and a table with a lone chair. Its window and door were always open to let in light and fresh air, closing only to keep out storms. Outside, her clay oven was crackling merrily with a hare hanging in the nook she built for smoking meats, a few leaves hanging next to the kill.

"I never got this close." Legolas looked around curiously. A tree branch reached out and tangled in the hood of his cloak.

"It's alright. Let him go." Ruby spoke slowly, caressing the wood. It wrapped around her fingers, then went back to its place by the canopy of trees.

"Found it!" Aragorn raised a lute triumphantly in the air, only to have it snatched back by another tree branch and put it back in its place. "Hey, that's mine!" he went for it again, but tripped on a raised root. " _Monah_!" he whined childishly.

"You've been gone too long, _yunkliin_." Ruby assessed their surroundings and thought of how she could accommodate them all.

"Aragorn visited you?" Legolas tried to keep the hurt out of his voice. Ruby merely looked at him in apprehension. "I'm sorry, it's just that..." he scratched the back of his neck.

"I know, _shir_." She caressed his cheek and smiled sadly.

"Ruby? May I speak with you?" Gandalf beckoned her to her garden. She left Legolas to explore with Gimli, who had left his axe by the oven out of respect. The trees seemed to like him better, and wherever he passed, a branch would find its way in his beard, or around his fingers.

"You've been taking good care of things." Ruby knelt to run her hands through the earth of her garden, assessing the situation. She made to send a pulse of energy into the earth, but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. She looked up curiously.

"You are not well." Gandalf stated. "Come inside, let me take a look at you." He led her to the house and Ruby closed the door behind her. "Sit." He gestured to her bed.

Propping his staff on the wall, he rubbed his hands together and closed his eyes to concentrate, breathing deeply. He pointed his palms towards Ruby's head, and she felt the familiar heat of Gandalf's magic enter her body. She relaxed as she felt him examine her head, neck, shoulders, arms, chest, midriff and abdomen. She frowned when he did not move on to her legs. Opening her eyes she saw him staring at her belly in concentration.

"I've been having stomach pains. Probably just some food poiso—"

"Shh." Gandalf interrupted, bringing his hands closer and pressing his palms under her bellybutton. He frowned and started the spell over again. After another two tries, Ruby was starting to panic.

"Gandalf?" she asked, quietly. The old Wizard looked up at her from his kneeling position in front of her and sighed.

"Ruby." He stood with a groan and sat next to her on her bed. Well, _his_ bed, as of a few weeks ago. "You have been intimate with Legolas, yes?" he watched a blush creep to her cheeks, but she nodded. "Has anything...strange...happened?" at her outraged expression he held up his hand. "No intimate details. Just plain strange." He was fighting a blush of his own. Ruby thought for a moment. A light went up in her eyes, mixed with confusion and uncertainty.

"Well, he, uh...he bit me." She looked away and cleared her throat. Gandalf fidgeted with his sleeve. "And I suppose he might have swallowed some of my blood." At that, Gandalf's head snapped up. Ruby explained her beliefs, based on what she saw in Galadriel's mirror, and the way Legolas' wounds healed, but not Boromir's. Gandalf rubbed his forehead and sighed. "You know something." Ruby had to know.

"Ruby. Dragon's blood has many uses. The most common is to give life." He started. "But a Dragon must use its own blood to give life willingly. And in return for that, another must be sacrificed." Ruby blinked, trying to piece things together. "Legolas would have most likely died from his wounds. They were too close to his heart and other vital organs. Dragonfire is not a force to be reckoned with."

"But...he was fine...granted, the salve wasn't working...and Thranduil—"

"His father only got away because he was merely sprayed lightly in the face. Nothing too important was hit. And he still bears horrible scars and pains, ones he covers up with magic and wine." Gandalf explained.

"But then...how was Legolas healed? There was no one else around to sacrifice..." the word sounded awkward in her mouth. Gandalf looked at her stomach. After a few seconds, dread filled her whole being. "No..." she whispered. "It can't be. I can't..." she put a hand on her womb.

"Many species only conceive when they meet their true One." Gandalf reminded her softly.

"I'm pregnant?" her voice shook in a hoarse whisper. A smile started forming on her lips but soon fell. "I killed it." She looked at Gandalf with tear-filled multicoloured eyes. "I killed my baby." Her lips trembled. "I'm a monster!" she started shaking.

"No, no, child, you did not know." Gandalf pulled her to him. He rocked her back and forth, mentally preparing for further bad news. "Ruby, I am sorry to tell you this, but your sickness is caused by the dead foetus still inside your body. It must be removed."

Ruby wanted to scream, but her sobs were breathless silent gasps, racking her whole frame. She pounded her fists on her head until Gandalf held her wrists, whispering calming nothings in her ear. After what seemed like an eternity, she calmed.

"I could have killed Aragorn..." she breathed.

"What?" Gandalf frowned.

"He was the only one with me when I tried to save Boromir." Ruby's eyes were so full of panic, even Gandalf had a hard time staying calm. "What if I had killed Aragorn? Oh, gods, what kind of a mother am I?" she started spiralling back into a frenzied state, but Gandalf stopped her.

"Ruby, enough!" he took her by the arms and shook her vigorously. "You. Did. Not. Know." He spoke slowly. "If you did, I am certain you would have thought out your actions. Now, you need to compose yourself, and take something to flush out your body. It pains me to speak it, and it will most likely pain you a thousand times worse, perhaps even physically, but we need you on this quest, and afterwards, Legolas will need you for the rest of his life!" Ruby was finally seeing sense, he noticed. He softened his voice. "And you must tell him." Ruby shook her head. "You must. It will be hard. But think of future possibilities. Ruby, you can have children!" he said, excitedly. "But I'd research more on Dragons' pregnancies before anything, if I were you."

She wiped her eyes on her sleeve, digesting everything Gandalf had said. He was right. The old bat always was. She nodded and wrapped her arms around him, saying a soft thank you. She gathered her courage and walked out to see it was already dark. Her three companions were sitting by the oven to keep warm, having already devoured the hare. She approached them.

"Boys, there's a hot spring nearby for you to wash up." She tried to smile. "Just follow that path." She pointed. A few trees moved to make the way clearer. "Legolas, may I speak to you?"

"Of course. Is everything alright?" he asked, standing. Aragorn and Gimli looked at her apprehensively.

"It will be. Go on." She shooed them away and led Legolas to her garden, where she started to pluck any leaves she thought would be necessary for her...cleansing.

" _Meleth nîn_ , you're making me nervous." Legolas turned her to face him. "What is it?"

"I'm pregnant." She blurted it out, almost interrupting him. She watched as his eyes filled with light, his breath catching in his chest. It killed her to take away that light. Before she could continue, he grabbed her face between his hands and pressed his lips to hers. He didn't even notice her tears, or if he did, he thought they were tears of joy.

"Ruby, that's wonderful!" He laughed in that melodic way she loved. He fell to his knees, took her hips and kissed her belly. "A son!" He cried. Then gasped. "Or a little girl?" He seemed even more excited at the idea. "What do you think?" He looked up at her in alarm as she shoved his hands from her hips and held his wrists.

"Legolas, it's dead!" She sobbed. She watched his face fall in confusion and sorrow, still on his knees. He took her hand and inspected the leaves in her hand. He knew what they were for. He had no strength to rise. Looking up at the shaking form of his beloved, he moved his mouth to form words, but only stuttered.

"Wh—ho—how? Why?" His eyes were nearly silver with tears. He listened raptly as Ruby explained what she had learned from Gandalf. Legolas finally stood and wrapped her in his arms. "I'm so sorry."

"So am I." They sought comfort in eachother's arms until Ruby remembered what she had to do. She detangled herself from him, and looked at the leaves in her hand. "I'll see you in the morning, alright?" she tried to be brave.

"What are you talking about? You're not doing this alone." Legolas shook his head, offended that she would think so little of him.

"Yes, Legolas, I am." She insisted. He could clearly see shame in her eyes.

"No." He said firmly, a bit of his father's kingly voice seeping into his. "We do this together." He didn't wait for a reply and led her away. Ruby steered him slightly to the left, where ahead a stream bubbled. The trees shifted together to form a tighter ring around them, giving them privacy. Ruby knelt by the stream and breathed deeply. Legolas sat behind her, running his warm hand over her back. In one swift move, she shoved all the leaves in her mouth, chewed and swallowed, washing it down with a few cupped handfuls of water from the stream. Sighing, she leaned back into Legolas' chest.

And so, they waited.

* * *

 _Translations:_

 _ved bein dok - black horehound (adaptation)_

 _ballota nigra - black horehound (latin)_

 _nad no ennas! - something's out there!_

 _Man cenich? - What do you see?_

 _Bormah - Father_

 _Bobo - Papa (adaptation)_

 _Yunkliin - Hatchling_

 _shir - dear_

 _Meleth nîn - My Love_


	28. Chapter 28

_Ladies and Gentlemen. YOUR SAVIOUR HAS ARRIVED! (bonus points on who gets that reference) I am back from many adventures, and unfortunately, the lack of money to keep on backpacking through Europe has forced me home. Though, fret not! I return with a fully charged muse, an indecipherable travel journal, and many chapters. In my absence, this story is still being favourited, followed and reviewed. I love you all._

* * *

Legolas was shocked at the amount of blood. He knew there would be a lot, having fought wars and helped in healing rooms.

But this was something else.

The foetus was still too small to be seen, but after a few painstakingly long hours, Ruby finally relaxed and stopped screaming. The bloodflow ceased, and Legolas set to work cleaning her with her discarded trousers. They should have thought to bring rags. Dipping the cloth in the stream he swiftly but efficiently cleaned her legs. He left his cloak dry and clean to wrap her in it after he was finished.

His ears rang from Ruby's screams and roars of pain, but he refused to lean away as he supported her back. His own tears fell into her hair, now dishevelled and sweaty. He had seen Women and _Ellith_ in the same state as her, but she lacked that glow all mothers had. Her eyes were hollow as she watched him. She shivered from the cold water, and he hurried to wrap her in his cloak, sitting on the forest floor with her across his lap, caressing her hair and singing soft elven tunes.

"I love you so very much." Legolas whispered into her hair. She looked up at him and he continued. "I am torn between two strong emotions." He explained as he looked deep into her eyes. "As much despair as I am feeling now, for your pain and the loss of our child, I am also ecstatic to know that we _can_ have children. This is a whole new future I had not thought about." He smiled at her. "We can plan ahead, be prepared, know all there is to know, so that I can help you through those nine months, without the worry of a war. We can raise a child in peace! We can even wait until we reach Tamriel, or even after we get back, _if_ we get back. I will wait thousands of years, go wherever it is you wish!" Ruby started smiling weakly. "But I need you in perfect shape. And I will take care of you. Always. I love you."

Ruby detangled an arm from under his cloak and pulled his head towards her. They kissed sweetly, their fears flowing away in red streaks down the stream.

Legolas returned to Ruby's house sometime between midnight and sunrise. Ruby was cradled in his arms, sleeping. Their companions were still awake, haunting looks on their faces. At Legolas' light, relieved smile of assurance, they relaxed and all but slumped to their bedrolls. Legolas took Ruby to her bed when Gandalf pointed to it and lay next to her, wrapping himself securely around his beloved, both warm under the covers.

* * *

"One stage of your journey is over, another begins." Gandalf was saying the next morning, after a late awakening from a much better feeling Ruby. "War has come to Rohan, we must ride to Edoras with all speed."

"Edoras? That is no short distance!" Gimli was loathe to ride again.

"We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the King." Aragorn picked at his teeth with a splintered bone.

"Yes, and it will not be easily cured." Gandalf sneered at his behaviour.

"Then we have run all this way for nothing? Are we to leave those poor Hobbits here in this horrid, dark, dank, tree-infested—" Once more the angry groans of the trees reverberate through the air. "I mean, charming, quite charming forest."

"It was more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn. A great power has been sleeping here for many long years. The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche in the mountains." Gandalf smiled knowingly at Ruby, lounging in Legolas' arms.

"In one thing you have not changed, dear friend." Aragorn smiled.

"Hm?"

"You still speak in riddles." They shared a laugh.

"A thing is about to happen that has not happened since the Elder Days." Gandalf continued seriously. "The Ents are going to wake up...and find that they are strong."

"Strong?!" Gimli almost snorted, but the trees started groaning again. "Oh, that's good."

"So stop your fretting, Master Dwarf. Merry and Pippin are quite safe. In fact, they are far safer than you are about to be."

"This new Gandalf's more grumpy than the old one." Gimli muttered under his breath. Gandalf ignored him.

"Ruby, I'm afraid you'll have to rest later." He said, apologetically. "We must make haste."

"Of course." She nodded and stood. Legolas held her hip, but in noticing she was steady, let her go and rose as well.

They emerged from Fangorn. Gandalf whistled, and a neigh answered. A white horse could be seen coming up the plain towards them.

"That is one of the Mearas unless my eyes are cheated by some spell." Legolas awed.

"Shadowfax. He's the lord of all horses and has been my friend through many dangers." Gandalf patted the horse's flank.

They all mounted, riding quickly through the plains. Shadowfax was purposefully riding slower than he could, so that the other two horses could keep up, but they were eager to please their lord.

They stopped at night, a small fire in the middle of their circle. Ruby had gone off to hunt, bringing back two Crebain. They were roasted and gone in a flash. They hastened to sleep, wanting to recover their energy as fast as possible. Gimli lay with his arms around his axe, muttering in his sleep, Legolas had his head on Ruby's lap as she slept propped against a rock, her chin buried in her chest. The Elf's arms were wrapped around her middle, his face buried in her stomach. Aragorn sat by the fire. Sleep eluded him. He huffed and stood, walking to Gandalf.

"The veiling shadow that glowers in the east takes shape. Sauron will suffer no rival." The Wizard spoke lowly. "From the summit of Barad-dûr, his Eye watches ceaselessly. But he is not so mighty yet that he is above fear. Doubt ever gnaws at him. The rumour has reached him. The heir of Númenor still lives. Sauron fears you, Aragorn. He fears what you may become. And so he'll strike hard and fast at the world of Men. He will use his puppet, Saruman, to destroy Rohan. War is coming. Rohan must defend itself, and therein lies our first challenge for Rohan is weak and ready to fall. The king's mind is enslaved, it's an old device of Saruman's. His hold over King Théoden is now very strong. Sauron and Saruman are tightening the noose. But for all their cunning we have one advantage. The Ring remains hidden. And that we should seek to destroy it has not yet entered their darkest dreams. And so the weapon of the enemy is moving towards Mordor in the hands of a Hobbit. Each day brings it closer to the fires of Mount Doom. We must trust now in Frodo. Everything depends upon speed and the secrecy of his quest. Do not regret your decision to leave him. Frodo must finish this task alone."

"He's not alone." Aragorn spoke up. "Sam went with him."

"Did he? Did he indeed?" Gandalf's eyebrows rose in pleasant surprise. "Good. Yes, very good."

* * *

"Edoras, and the Golden Hall of Meduseld. There dwells Théoden, King of Rohan, whose mind is overthrown. Saruman's hold over King Théoden is now very strong." Gandalf stopped briefly to overlook their destination. "Be careful what you say. Do not look for welcome here." They started towards the gate.

As they went through, a flag, probably ripped from a pole by the wind fell on the floor near them. Aragorn hesitated a moment, looking at the flag and then up trying to pinpoint where it came from. A woman, in noble clothing was watching them. They rode through Edoras in silence. The people watched them in silence.

"You'd find more cheer in a graveyard." Gimli growled.

They left their horses by a fountain and started up the steps. Gandalf started huffing and limping, winking at Ruby when she looked at him curiously. She quickly understood and lowered her head, walking behind her male companions. Legolas offered his arm to Gandalf.

"Ah." Gandalf sighed in fake relief as they reached the top. And looked around. Ruby still had her head down, a few steps lower than them.

"I cannot allow you before Théoden King so armed, Gandalf Grayhame." A guard spoke to them. He seemed to falter at his next words, mumbling them as if in shame. "By order of...Grima Wormtongue."

Gandalf nodded in disappointed understanding, then shrugged. He motioned to the others and they all started disarming themselves and handing their weapons over to the Edoras soldiers. All except Ruby, but no one payed attention to her.

"Your staff." The guard insisted.

"Oh, no." Gandalf's voice was shaky. "You would not part an old man from his walking stick?" he blinked.

The guard grimaced and gave a slight nod then turned to lead them into the hall. Gandalf winked at Aragorn, who was busy suppressing a smile.

Inside, the atmosphere was tense and cold. A hunched over man was whispering not-so-subtly into Théoden King's ear, who looked like he had been left out to dry and bleach in the sun.

"My lord, Gandalf the Grey is coming." The doors closed behind them. "He's a herald of woe."

"The courtesy of your hall has somewhat lessened of late Théoden King." Gandalf let go of Legolas and walked straighter.

"He's not welcome." Grima continued.

"Why should I welcome you, Gandalf Stormcrow?" Théoden rasped haltingly.

"A just question my liege." Grima nodded as if to indulge a small child. "Late is the hour in which this conjuror chooses to appear. Lathspell I name him, ill news is an ill guest." He walked to stand in front of the Wizard.

"Be silent." Gandalf snapped. "Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crude words with a witless worm." He brandished his staff in front of Grima.

"His staff. I told you to take the wizards staff." Grima backed away. Soldiers came rushing forward. Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas all reached towards Ruby, who swiftly let her cloak drop, exposing the hilts to her many knives. They were busy fighting the guards off as Gandalf continued forward as if nothing were going on.

"Théoden son of Thengel." He announced. "Too long have you sat in the shadows."

"I would stay still if I were you." Gimli put his foot on a fallen Grima's chest, stopping him from getting up.

"Harken to me." Théoden grimaced and let out a slight growl. Gandalf raised his hand. "I release you from this spell." He said quietly. A raspy laugh echoed through the walls, making Ruby's hair stand on end.

"You have no power here Gandalf the Grey." Théoden was still laughing, when suddenly, Gandalf took off his gray cloak, revealing the white ones he wore underneath. Théoden screamed.

"I will draw you, Saruman, as poison is drawn from a wound." He announced. Théoden slammed back against the throne, Gandalf getting closer, pointing his staff at him. Steps echoed towards them. The same Woman Aragorn had seen before entered and tried to run to Théoden, but he grabbed her.

"Wait." He insisted.

"If I go, Théoden dies." A voice that did not belong to the King spoke from his lips. Gandalf threw him back against the throne with his staff again.

"You could not kill me, you will not kill him."

"Rohan is mine." Gandalf threw him against the throne again.

"Be gone." Théoden screamed and lunged at Gandalf, who hit him with the staff. Théoden moaned and slid down in the throne.

Aragorn felt a nudge on his arm and looked to see Ruby gesturing towards his hand holding the Woman's arm. He let her go and watched her run over and catch Théoden. She put him back up in the throne. His face began to change back into its younger self. The Woman smiled at him.

"I know your face." Théoden raised a quivering hand to her cheek. "Éowyn. Éowyn. Gandalf?" He seemed confused.

"Breathe the free air again my friend." Gandalf greeted.

"Dark have been my dreams of late." Théoden looked at his hands.

"Your fingers would remember their old strength better if they grasped your sword." Gandalf gestured to the guards. Their captain came up with Théoden's sword, who gingerly wrapped his fingers around its hilt. With a firmer grip, he finally raised it.

Grima was still attempting to slide away. Gimli grabbed him, still smiling at the King. Théoden looked at his sword, then to Grima who was cowering on the floor. Théoden swiftly rose, all strength back in his bones and threw Grima out of the hall down the stairs. They followed.

"I've only ever served you my lord." Grima cowered.

"Your witchcraft would have had me crawling on all fours like a beast!" The King was livid.

"Send me not from your sight." He begged. Théoden raised his sword to strike, but Aragorn stopped him.

"No, my lord. No my lord. Let him go." He used his strength against Théoden's raised arm, but quickly humbled his tone. "Enough blood has been spilt on his account." He turned and offered a hand to Grima to help him up. Grima spat into Aragorn's palm and got up, running through the crowd. Gimli had to restrain Ruby.

"Get out of my way!" he screeched as he stole a horse and rode away. Aragorn frowned, wiped his hand on his trousers and turned back to Théoden.

"Hail Théoden King!" he called loudly. The Rohirrim bowed, cheering. Aragorn bowed to Théoden, his companions following suit, except Gandalf and Ruby. Théoden turned around and looked at the people from the hall.

"Where is Théodred? Where is my son?" he looked around.

* * *

Théodred's body was brought to the graves of past Kings, carried on the shoulders of the Rohirrim. The townspeople were gathered, making a slow procession behind the body. Éowyn was seen waiting at the open tomb with the other Women. As Théodred's body was passed through hands into the tomb, Éowyn burst into a heartfelt chant.

" _Bealocwealm hafað fréone frecan forth onsended  
giedd sculon singan gléomenn sorgiende  
on Meduselde þæt he ma no wære  
his dryhtne dyrest and mæga deorost.  
Bealo…_"

The tomb was shut.

* * *

"I am very proud of your conduct, _Mal Jun_." Ruby was saying to Aragorn, scratching at his beard lovingly.

" _Kogaan, Monah_." Aragorn snapped his head up at the banging of doors.

"Ruby!" Gandalf ushered a girl into the hall, a boy on his arm.

"What happened?" she rushed to the boy, taking him off Gandalf's arms and setting him on the bench, quickly assessing his health. "Bring me water and broth." She looked at a serving maid, who faltered. "Quickly, now!" she snapped. "Legolas, _ru wah fin key, til los kul trunk ko dii pak_." Legolas sprinted down the steps. Ruby turned to the shaking little girl. "Hello." She said softly. "Can you tell me what happened?"

They listened to the child tell about an attack on her village. Ruby accepted her pouch of healing herbs from Legolas and crushed some leaves in their soup, gently feeding the boy until he was strong enough to hold his own spoon.

"They had no warning, they were unarmed. Now the Wildmen are moving through the Westfold, burning as they go. Rick, cot, and tree." Éowyn was sitting by the little girl.

"Where is mamma?" she asked loudly.

"Shh." Éowyn lay a blanket on her shoulders.

"This is but a taste of the terror Saruman will unleash." Gandalf told Théoden. "All the more potent for he is driven mad by fear of Sauron. Ride out and meet him head on. Draw him away from your women and children. You must fight."

"You have two thousand good men riding north as we speak. Éomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their King." Aragorn added.

"They will be three hundred leagues from here by now. Éomer cannot help us. I know what it is you want of me, but I will not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war." Théoden rose from his throne.

"Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not." Aragorn snapped.

"When I last looked, Théoden, not Aragorn, was King of Rohan." Théoden retorted.

"Then what is the King's decision?" Ruby bristled.

"Who is this Woman, who enters my Hall armed and orders my servants? Has she no instruction on how to address her superiors?" Théoden gestured to Ruby, looking to her companions for an answer.

"I am bonded to the Prince of the Woodland Realm, have been married to the King Under the Mountain and have raised the Heir of Númenor!" Ruby stood from her spot next to the boy, who slurped his soup. "Do not presume to lecture me on my behaviour around royals. Who was it that up until a few hours ago hosted Saruman's will in his body?"

" _Monah_ , this is counterproductive." Aragorn was always the most level-headed one in these kinds of situations.

"But we do ask kindly of his majesty to curb his tongue towards our Lady." Gimli suggested, resting his wrists on his axe.

"Who are you?" Théoden directed himself towards her.

"Let's hope you won't have to find out." Ruby turned and stepped out.

* * *

"By order of the King, the city must empty. We make for the refuge of Helm's Deep. Do not burden yourself with treasures. Take only what provisions you need." The captain of the guard, Hama, Ruby had learned, was announcing.

"Helm's Deep! They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight." Gandalf scoffed, sitting on a stone bench next to Ruby, who had a knife and an apple in her hand, slowly eating pieces of it. "Who will defend them if not their King?"

"He is only doing what he thinks is best for his people. Helm's Deep has saved them in the past." Aragorn stood in front of them with his arms folded across his chest.

"There is no way out of that ravine. Théoden is walking into a trap. He thinks he's leading them into safety. What they'll get is a massacre."Gandalf ranted, but soon calmed when Ruby handed him a slice of fruit. "Théoden has a strong will, but I fear for him. I fear for the survival of Rohan. He will need you before the end, Aragorn. The people of Rohan will need you. Their defences have to hold."

"They will hold." Aragorn looked briefly towards Ruby, who seemed disinterested in their conversation. He knew she was still seething.

"The gray pilgrim, that's what they used to call me. Three hundred lives of men I have walked this earth and now I have no time." He rose, kissed Ruby on her head and entered the stables. "With luck my search will not be in vain. Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the east."

"Go." Aragorn nodded. Gandalf ushered Shadowfax into a gallop, nearly running over Gimli and Legolas who quickly jumped out of his way. In the stables, a couple of Men were trying to calm and hold a brown horse. The horse struggled against the ropes and reared onto its hind legs. Éowyn, taking care of another horse, turned to watch what was happening. Aragorn, putting a saddle down, walked over to the wild horse.

"Ho." A stablehand tugged at the rope.

"That horse is half mad, my lord. There's nothing you can do. Leave him." Another called to Aragorn, who ignored him.

" _Fæste, stille nú, fæste, stille nú. Lac is drefed, gefrægon_." The horse calmed down a bit, yet it was still showing the whites of its eyes. Aragorn reached out and touched it, releasing one of its ropes. The horse stood still and quiet. " _Hwæt nemnað ðe? Hm? Hwæt nemnað ðe_?"

"His name is Brego. He was my cousin's horse." Eowyn spoke.

" _Brego? Ðin nama is cynglic_." Éowyn moved towards them while Aragorn still talked in Sindarin to the horse. Brego was calm, submitting to Aragorn's touch and deep voice. " _Man le trasta, Brego? Man cenich?_ "

"I have heard of the magic of Elves, but I did not look for it in a Ranger from the North. You speak as one of their own." Éowyn approached.

"I was raised in Rivendell...for a time. Turn this fellow free. He's seen enough of war." Aragorn left Éowyn with the horse, still looking at him in somewhat awe. He took the saddle he put down from a stable man and continued what he was doing.

" _Rek paar hi_." Ruby called from her bench. Legolas looked up to Éowyn to see her frown in confusion. " _Tinvaak hin paar nok ni voth ek, leh rek fen kos ahraan._ "

" _Kogaan, monah, Zu'u mindol Zu'u aal tinvaakwah aan paarkiir_." Aragorn huffed. Ruby raised her hands in a surrendering gesture and stood, walking away. Legolas trailed behind her.

"Ruby." He reached for her hand and twined their fingers. "Ride with me?" he wanted to talk to her about the coming battle, but now did not seem like a good time. She looked up at him and smiled, nodding. She stood on the tips of her toes and placed a sweet kiss on his lips.

"Sorry, girls, he's taken." She patted his chest. A chorus of 'aww's reached Legolas' ears, turning them red. He looked around at the people looking at them, a smile on his lips. "I'll see you outside." She turned and made her way to the keep, intent on looting a healer's cupboard.

* * *

Translations:

 _shir - dear_

 _Meleth nîn - My Love_

 _Ellith - female Elves_

 _Crebain - large species of crow which were native to Dunland and Fangorn Forest. Singular form is craban._

 _"Bealocwealm hafað fréone frecan forth onsended - An evil death has set forth the noble warrior_

 _giedd sculon singan gléomenn sorgiende - A song shall sing sorrowing minstrels_

 _on Meduselde þæt he ma no wære - in Meduseld that he is no more,_

 _his dryhtne dyrest and mæga deorost. - to his lord dearest and kinsmen most belover._

 _Bealo… - An evil death…_

 _kogaan - Thank you (adaptation)_

 _ru wah fin key, til los kul trunk ko dii pak - run to the horses, there are healing herbs in my pack_

 _Fæste, stille nú, fæste, stille nú. Lac is drefed, gefrægon - Fast, be quiet now, fast, be quiet now. A battle is stirred up, they heard._

 _Hwæt nemnað ðe? Hm? Hwæt nemnað ðe? - What is your name?'Hm? What is your name?_

 _Brego? Ðin nama is cynglic. - Brego? Your name is kingly._

 _Man le trasta, Brego? Man cenich? - What troubles you, Brego? What did you see?_

 _Rek paar hi. - She likes you._

 _Tinvaak hin paar nok ni voth ek, leh rek fen kos ahraan. - Say your affections lie not with her, lest she be hurt._

 _Kogaan, monah, Zu'u mindol Zu'u aal tinvaakwah aan paarkiir. - Thank you, mother, I think I can handle a lovestruck girl. (adaptation)_


	29. Chapter 29

_A saucy treat after the long wait..._

* * *

"It's true, you don't see many Dwarf women. And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance that they're often mistaken for Dwarf men." Gimli was stating loudly, perched atop a horse. Éowyn was listening, amused.

' _It's the beards_.' Aragorn mouthed to her when she looked back at him. He gestured an invisible beard with his right hand down his chin. Éowyn shushed him to keep him quiet so Gimli didn't hear him.

"This, in turn, has given rise to the belief that there _are_ no Dwarf women..." Gimli spread his arms wildly gesturing around. "...and that Dwarves just spring out of holes in the ground!" He laughed with Éowyn. "Which is, of course, ridiculous." He stated matter-of-factly. Suddenly, his horse neighed and took off, sending Gimli flying off the saddle onto the ground. Éowyn ran to help him up. "It's all right. Nobody panic. That was deliberate. It was _deliberate_." He assured them.

Ruby laughed with the others and leaned back into Legolas' rumbling chest. She relaxed, not having to steer the horse or walk, and decided to run her hands over Legolas' arms, feeling the muscles and tendons. She hummed in appreciation.

" _Meleth nîn_ , there are people watching." He spoke quietly into her ear. His breath made her shiver.

"Let them watch." She craned her neck to give him more access to her skin. "Let everyone see that you are mine and I am yours." She turned her head and nipped his jaw.

"Possessive, much?" he chuckled and straightened.

"You've only just noticed?" Ruby laughed, but stopped teasing him. "You wanted to tell me something." It wasn't a question. Legolas cleared his throat.

"There will be a battle in Helm's Deep." He waited for her to nod. "And...Ruby I have total confidence in your skills as a warrior, and I know you'll be angry at me for saying this, but I would rather have you stay in the caves with the other citizens." Ruby remained silent. "I know you can protect them if anything gets past the walls." He tried to sweeten his reasoning. Still, she looked ahead, softly smiling at Gimli's antics. "Ruby?" he called.

"Yes?" She was still smiling, but he had heard her use that tone before. He would be in deep trouble if he did not choose his next words carefully.

"Did you hear what I said?" He prepared his delicate ears for yelling.

"You know, it's funny, I don't think I heard correctly." She said, mock sweetly. "Because it sounded like you were asking me to hide in a cave while you risked your life in battle. But that's ridiculous, you would never ask me such a thing. Could you repeat please?"

"Ruby, I'm serious." He frowned.

"So am I." She looked up at him, her chestnut eyes shifting slowly redder. "I could ask you the same thing. But I won't, because I acknowledge you as a warrior. I should hope you feel the same towards me."

"Of course I do, Ruby, bu—"

"Then it's settled."

"Ruby, please..."

" _Hi_ _dreh mindok Zu'u los finmul zun hi lost ko daar kein_?" She hissed. Her patience was wearing thin.

" _Hi los ni aan zun_." Legolas hissed back. So was his.

"Everything alright up there?" Gimli was walking by their horse, looking up at their hushed bickering.

"My friend, do not put your spoon in another couple's bowl. You will only get sick." An elder Man who was riding in a cart with other elders advised. Gimli wisely shuffled away to talk to him, leaving Ruby and Legolas in tense silence.

* * *

The sun was nearly setting, so they stopped for the night. Legolas dismounted and turned to help Ruby off the horse. He held her hips and supported her as she swung a leg over and slid to the floor. Once firmly on the ground, he did not let her go, sliding his hands around her waist and pulling her to him.

"Promise me you will stay safe." He whispered into her hair. "Any sign of something you cannot fight against, you retreat." Ruby leaned away to look him in the eyes. "I know, you are strong, but I worry nonetheless." Her lips were still pressed in a thin line. "Can you blame me?" He looked at her with pleading eyes, touching their foreheads together. "After so many centuries, I finally have you to myself. I don't want to lose someone as beautiful," he kissed her nose, "kind," cheek, "caring," jaw, "powerful," neck, "and intelligent like you." He ran his nose up her neck, breathing in her scent.

"Keep going..." she egged him on. Legolas laughed and kissed her full on the lips, but then turned serious again. Ruby rolled her eyes and huffed. "I'm scared too. Of losing you." She took his cheek in her palm. "I'll be as careful as I can. But I _am_ fighting, and I want you to promise me you won't be looking out for me all the time." she shook her head and raised her hand to stop his retorts. "I can watch my own back. I can't have you getting hurt because you were distracted by me." Legolas knew she was right. He begrudgingly nodded.

"But you really are too distracting." He grinned boyishly at her.

"Oh, really?" Ruby raised her arms and wrapped them around his neck. "How so?" she pressed herself against him, letting him look down her front. Legolas could see her corset pushing her breasts up to form a valley between them, where he would love to run his tongue through, until she begged for more. Ruby saw his nostrils flare. He growled and slammed his lips to hers in a hungry kiss. His hands covered her behind, squeezing both cheeks and pressing her hips to him. It wasn't enough. He slid his hands down under her thighs and hoisted her up, her hot centre pressing against his growing member. She moaned and rocked against him, scratching her nails through his scalp, her thumbs barely caressing his ears.

"OY!" Legolas nearly dropped Ruby, who had to steady herself on his shoulders. "Pitch up a tent first! And be quiet!" Gimli was red as a beet. He turned to the small crowd that had formed. "On you go, you perverts! Nothing to see here!" Ruby was let down, but not let go. She smiled at Gimli innocently. "Honestly, _Baraz Kunzek_ , I can understand nature boy wanting to...to...in the open, but I expected more from you!"

"I once had sex in the hall of Kings in Erebor smack dab in the middle of that golden floor." Ruby divulged. She watched Gimli turn a deeper shade of red and splutter incoherently. He walked off without another word. She turned to Legolas and found him staring at her. "Oh, no, Legolas, I—I'm sorry, I—"

"Challenge accepted." He interrupted her, looking to the distance. Ruby could hear the cogs turning in his head. She shook her own, glad he was taking her mentioning of Thorin so lightly. He seemed to know what was going through her thoughts. "I don't mind." He said, softly. "I love you for who you are, and I know you loved him." She smiled gratefully at him. "But you're _my_ One now." He wrapped his arms around her.

"So you must be better than him in every way?" she asked jokingly.

"Exactly." Legolas nodded, kissing her shoulder.

* * *

Ruby had managed to tear herself from Legolas to work on making the camp as comfortable as possible. Her show of power did not go unnoticed, and the people were torn between fear and wonder. A group of Men had gone hunting, bringing back just enough for them.

"I've offered to keep watch tonight." Ruby heard Aragorn call from behind her. She turned from the group of young boys and girls, whom she was teaching how to use flint and steel to light a fire.

"That's very nice of you. Have you eaten?" she dusted her hands and rose, the children scattering.

"Supper will be ready soon." He assured her.

They walked to a larger fire, where Gimli was busy sharpening his axe. Ruby sat between him and Aragorn and looked around for Legolas. After a few minutes, she found him keeping watch on the edge of camp. His eyes were trained on the horizon, his arms folded across his chest.

Ruby's view of a certain _Ellon's_ behind was blocked by Éowyn walking up to them with a pot in her left hand.

"Gimli." She extended her arm so that the Dwarf could have a look in the pot. A gust of wind blew the smell of stew towards Ruby, who greedily inhaled, having regained her appetite, but quickly regretted it, when she almost retched. Gimli, being closer, backed away, shaking his hands, a strained smile on his face.

"No, I couldn't. I really couldn't." He gestured to his already sharp axe, but continued diligently working on it. Éowyn looked a bit disheartened, but turned to Ruby instead.

"How about you, Lady Ruby?" she smiled kindly. "You must be tired after providing us with such comfort. I humbly thank you." She started to stir the pot, making its smell even stronger, if possible.

"No need for formalities between us, Éowyn." Ruby tried very hard not to gag. Curse her heightened senses. "I'm still quite satisfied, thank you, though." She watched Éowyn step up to Aragorn, who was cleaning his sword. He looked up at her.

"I made some stew. It isn't much, but it's hot." She shrugged. Behind her, Ruby and Gimli were waving their arms as discreetly as possible.

' _No!_ ' They mouthed. Aragorn, of course, was against turning down a kindness and frowned at them, accepting a bowl of stew from Éowyn with a smile.

"Thank you." He took a bite, looked up at Éowyn, and scrunched up his face into a passable smile. He nodded, ignoring his mother's 'I-told-you-so' look. "It's good."

"Really?" Éowyn looked to be suppressing her joy. She turned and started walking away, while Aragorn immediately tried to dump the rest of his stew somewhere inconspicuous. "My uncle told me a strange thing." Aragorn stabled the bowl right before Éowyn turned around. "He said that you rode to war with Thengel, my grandfather. But he must be mistaken."

"King Théoden has a good memory. He was only a small child at the time." Aragorn nodded.

"Then you must be at least sixty." Aragorn smiled. "Seventy?" He shook his head. "But you cannot be eighty!" Éowyn was incredulous.

"Eighty-seven." Aragorn confirmed.

"You are one of the Dúnedain. A descendant of Númenor, blessed with long life. It was said that your race had passed into legend."

"There are few of us left. The Northern Kingdom was destroyed long ago." He sounded distant.

"I'm sorry. Please, eat." Éowyn quickly changed the subject. She stood over Aragorn, watching him finish his stew. Behind her, Gimli and Ruby were guffawing in their fists at him. He glared at them as he chewed.

* * *

"Here you go." Legolas turned to see Ruby handing him a bowl of soup. He smiled and took it, gulping it down quickly. "Easy..." Ruby stopped him halfway through, handing him a flask of wine. "When was the last time we ate properly?" she watched him finish his meal and take a few more gulps of wine.

"Lothlórien?" he looked at her inquisitively. Ruby sighed and looked to the distance, watching the calm plains. Legolas set his bowl and flask aside.

"When this is all over, I am going to gorge myself for a week." Ruby hummed as Legolas wrapped his arms around her from behind. Her head fell back to rest on his shoulder. She looked up at the night sky.

"When this is all over, I'll keep you on your back for a week." He nipped at her neck.

"Who says I want to be on my back all the time?" Ruby raised her arms and buried her fingers in Legolas' hair as his hands roamed from her shoulders, over her breasts, around her hips to play with the hem of her trousers.

"On your back, on all fours, up against the wall..." Legolas untied her trousers and slipped his fingers under the cotton. He ran his finger up and down her clit as he continued. "I will make you scream my name from the highest waterfall and the deepest cave." He slipped a finger inside her. "I can tie you to my father's throne with your legs spread wide and kneel before you to...pledge my loyalty." He smirked as her knees buckled, but he wrapped his other arm around her waist to keep her upright. "I want to see you concentrate on that research you've been meaning to do when I bend you over Erebor's library table." Her hot breath was begging by his ear, but he continued. "I want to see you completely bare, hanging by your wrists from a tree in Fangorn, next to that quant little herb-garden." His fingers picked up speed. "I will fuck you so thoroughly, you won't be able to see straight." He chuckled as Ruby whimpered when he removed his hand from her trousers and held them up to his face, inhaling her scent. She watched, dazed, as his fingers disappeared behind his lips and he hummed. "Delicious."

Ruby was pleasantly surprised by this behaviour. She held her trousers up as she stood on her own, trembling from lack of release. Legolas let her go and she shivered at the cold air around her. Without a word, she walked off a ways away and circled a rock, large enough to hide behind. Legolas stood, watching her. He heard rustling, then saw something being thrown across the air to land by his feet. He growled when he recognized her trousers. Her shirt soon followed. He prowled around to meet her, momentarily faltering at the sight of her pale naked form glowing in the moonlight, pressed against the stone, trembling and waiting. Her corset was by her feet, her beloved daggers easily accessible should the need arise. Legolas got an idea. He watched her watch him as he stepped closer. He took her chin in his hand and kissed her deeply. His hands ran down her arms to her wrists, raising them next to her head. He concentrated, and soon stepped back.

"Allow me to thank you for helping me develop my powers." He watched as she realized he had trapped her hands in the stone. His eyes widened as it began to crack. "Ah-ah-ah..." He tutted. Ruby stopped struggling, but a threat was on the tip of her tongue, he could see it in her eyes, and he knew she would fulfil it, should he test her patience any longer.

Kneeling, he took one of her larger daggers, with a rounded hilt. He twirled the blade around his fingers and watched her eye him warily. He stood and walked close to her, flipping the blade so it pointed away from her. He looked into her eyes, swirling colours watching him. He slowly dropped to his knees again, taking her left leg and resting her thigh on his right shoulder. Her lower lips glistened in the moonlight, and he swallowed thickly. He caressed her thigh and ran his fingers around her bottom, squeezing the flesh appreciatively. He settled more comfortably on his heels as his thumb ran the length of her slit. Her soft, dark curls were dewy from her moisture as he spread it around, listening to her breath hitch.

Slowly, to give her time to tell him to stop, he used his right pointer and middle finger to spread her folds open and raised the dagger he was holding in his left hand to nudge her softly. He circled her opening, letting her get used to the cold metal, watching goosebumps erupt across her skin. Ever so slowly, he started pushing the dagger up. A third of the way in, he pulled it back out and blew on her. He watched her clench at the cold. Again, he inserted the hilt of the dagger, this time even slower, in the smallest back and forth motions, until it was fully inside her. His fingers were safely wrapped around the blade, so as not to risk cutting her.

He adjusted his right hand to keep her folds spread open to let him see his mischief clearly. He started pumping the hilt of the dagger in and out at a steady pace, watching hypnotized as her opening hugged it tightly. He sped up a little, tilting the dagger at an angle. He gasped as she jolted. His fingers were slippery with the juices flowing from her as he kept watching her reactions up close.

"Legolas, stop." She whimpered. He immediately halted and carefully extracted her dagger, setting it aside. She had freed herself from the stone and pulled him up to her, a pleading look on her face.

"I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" He took her face in his hands. She shook her head.

"No. I need you." She clawed at his clothes. "Please..."

" _Mîruin_..." Legolas held her hands. "Have...have you been taking precautions?" He looked at her trembling before him and had to control himself.

"Yes, ever since Fangorn." She said, wriggling her hands free and continuing unclothing him. Her mouth latched on his jaw. "Is this why you had this crazy idea?" she panted against his skin.

"I want you sated." He let her do as she pleased now that he knew she was protected from his seed. "Your needs come first." He frowned as she stopped and frowned at him.

" _Our_ needs come first." She corrected him. "And we need to work on our communication skills." Legolas only nodded. He was straining against his trousers, and groaned as Ruby freed him. Legolas hoisted her higher and leaned her against the inclined rock, watching as it was his turn to disappear between her legs. "You like watching?" Ruby was amused at his silent nod, not taking his eyes off their juncture. She leaned further back, letting the moonlight hit her skin, and watched as Legolas' eyes roamed over her. His thrusts faltered, but he soon anchored her comfortably and continued his pace. He followed the movements of her breasts as they jiggled in synch with his thrusts, his jaw dropping slightly in surprise as Ruby started massaging them, her eyes never leaving is face. Her hands roamed down her own body, until her middle finger touched her clit and she gasped. Legolas growled and slapped her hand away. He had enough of watching.

Quickly, he pulled out of her, spun her around and slammed himself inside her again, pressing his chest to her back, her own chest smushed against the stone. He kicked her feet apart to widen her legs and bent his knees slightly to accommodate their height differences, but at every thrust, Ruby slid a bit further up the stone. Soon, her toes barely touched the grass, Legolas pulling her hips down to meet every thrust. He felt heat pool around his member, and knew she was close. He gladly answered her pleas for him not to stop, and soon, her walls clamped rhythmically around him, her back arching. He pushed away, watching as her spine trembled, following beads of sweat down to her apple shaped bottom, a small, pink, puckered hole becoming visible as she rocked herself back and forth to ride her orgasm out on his member and scrape her clit as best she could against the stone in front of her.

After she calmed, he put each of his hands on one cheek and spread his long fingers to squeeze and part them, as well as hold her in place as he kept rocking to his preferred pace. He watched her folds hug him tightly and glistening and made a mental note to procure some lubricant for next time. He ran his thumb down her crack and circled her other hole. A lot of lubricant. As his thumb pressed down, Ruby gasped his name, surprised. The sound of her voice was enough to push him over the edge. Ruby shivered as she felt his seed fill him and seep down their legs along with her juices.

Legolas slumped against her back, his forehead between her shoulderblades. He pulled out of her, both whimpering at the loss, and lowered her hips until she was standing on shaking legs. He released his hold on her, caressing his hands softly and aimlessly across her body, as they remained pressed to eachother and the rock, slowly getting their breathing under control.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Ruby purred.

"So much." Legolas sounded exhausted. He still had his eyes closed, his cheek against her head. "Thank you." He smiled as Ruby giggled.

"You're welcome anytime..." she shifted to turn and wrap her arms around his neck. She could see he was still basking, his eyes closed, a lazy smile on his lips. But they were still out in the open wild. She kissed his chest, where his heart lay and ushered him to dress and go grab her clothes. He pouted, but did as she said. "Come on. You're not standing watch over anyone like this." She led him back to camp. They found an unoccupied tent and ducked inside, Legolas immediately slumping to the bedroll. He pulled her down with him and wrapped his arms tightly around her hips, his face buried between her breasts, her leg thrown over his waist.

* * *

"Legolas seems more at ease today." Aragorn came to walk beside Ruby as they marched on the next day. "I wonder why that is."

"You wonder? Poor Arwen. Maybe you should watch us to learn something new." Ruby smirked at his spluttering. He touched the Evenstar around his neck and sighed. "You really believe she left?" Ruby asked.

"I'm hoping she did. It's better this way." Ruby kept silent.

"Where is she? The woman who gave you that jewel." Éowyn approached. She had been walking behind them and heard their conversation. Aragorn still had a faraway look on his face. "My lord?"

"She is sailing to the Undying Lands with all that is left of her kin." Aragorn snapped out of his reverie. Ruby narrowed her eyes at the small smile Éowyn was trying to hide. A strangled neigh and a growl pulled their attention to the front of the group

"Wargs!" Ruby could hear iron clashing. She spotted Legolas up front, his bow in hand. The Orc managed to let out a loud cry before it was shot.

"A scout!" Legolas called.

"Warn Théoden." Ruby told Aragorn as she mounted the nearest horse and galloped to the back of the group of refugees.

"Get them out of here!" Aragorn shouted. "Stay with Ruby." He added to the frightened blonde."

"All riders to the head of the column." Théoden ordered.

"Come on. Get me up here. I'm a rider. Come on." He almost fell over the other side of the horse.

"You must lead the people to Helm's Deep, and make haste." Théoden ordered Éowyn.

"I can fight!" She argued.

"No! You must do this, for me." His word was final. "Follow me!" he charged.

"Forward. I mean, charge forward." Gimli was still struggling with his steed. "That's it! Go on!"

"Make for the lower ground!" Éowyn guided her people. "Stay together!" she looked up to see Ruby circling them with her horse, daggers ready and eyes sharp. She finally pointed towards a safe direction and Éowyn led the refugees.

Ruby constantly circled them, killing stray enemies with her throwing knives and letting Éowyn know which way was safest to lead their people, until...

"At last!"

"Helm's Deep."

Éowyn stopped and looked at the fortress. She turned to Ruby who rode up beside her and dismounted, both women panting slightly.

"We're safe!"

"There it is, Helm's Deep."

"We're safe, my Ladies. Thank you." A woman passed them. They nodded at her.

"Thank you. I could not have led them without your protection." Éowyn turned to Ruby.

"And you as well. I could not have protected them without your leadership." Ruby smiled. "Your uncle will be proud."

* * *

Translations:

 _Meleth nîn - My Love_

 _Hi dreh mindok Zu'u los finmul zun hi lost ko daar kein? - You do realise I am the strongest weapon you have in this war?_

 _Hi los ni aan zun. - You are not a weapon._


	30. Chapter 30

Inside, Ruby had taken over the medical wing, a gaggle of healers at her command. Word had come to her that many supplies were lost. She huffed and strode out to the medical herb garden. It was atrocious. She knelt and put her hands on the floor, her fingers digging deep into the earth. Slowly, pulse after pulse, the weeds died out, their life force being transferred to more important plants. Then she sat back on her heels, the smell hit her and she sighed contently. She stood and turned to a group of people. Young apprentices, maids and boys too young to fight, but who wanted to volunteer any help they could, healers and two gardeners. That was her working force.

"Alright, people, pay attention." She started. "Keep the healing halls clean under all costs. Clean the floors, walls, even the ceiling." She pointed, then turned to a stableboy who pas passing. "Get a ladder in here!" She ordered him. "These halls will be full by nightfall. I want all clutter out of the way. You." She turned to the strongest looking boy." You will be in charge of supplying fresh water from the well." She spoke to each of them in turn. "You will stand by the door and point the wounded to free chairs. Beds only for the unconscious. You. Keep the floors mopped. The last thing we need is for a healer to slip on blood and break their neck. Don't look at me like that, you'll see enough blood to fill a lake tonight." She rubbed her face. "You, rip all the sheets you can find into bandages. You, do you know these plants?" She looked over to a short, stout Man.

"I do, M'lady."

"Me as well, M'lady." Two other apprentices stepped forward. The taller Woman was the one she had told to stand by the door.

"Alright, you, do her job, do you remember it?" Ruby was satisfied when he nodded and scampered away. "Your name." She turned back to the tall Woman. She was a bit taller than Ruby, but then again, who wasn't? Her hair was a light brown, tied in a braid down her back. Her dress was very modest and patched in various places.

"Gilly, M'lady."

"Yours?" Ruby assumed they were twins.

"Gail, M'lady."

"Gilly, you will be in charge of cutting and distributing the herbs as the healers see fit. Gail, you will stand by the mortar and prepare anything they need." Ruby turned to the rest of the group as the sisters scampered off. "You stay in the storeroom, keep inventory and hand out supplies." Ruby finally walked down the halls, overseeing her orders, the others trailing behind her. "Anyone in fighting conditions, I want back on the battlefield. Fighting conditions are: being able to walk and wield a weapon. Spread out, see to as many people as you can, as carefully as you can, an ill set bone can have deadly repercussions." She reached the exit and turned back to the hall, everyone was in their place. "Any questions?" She listened to the tense silence. "Good. I'll check in whenever I can to replenish the herbs.

* * *

Ruby walked the streets, trying to put some order in the chaos. Those who recognized her thanked her and were prompt to follow her instructions, even to convince those who weren't. She finally met Éowyn on her way to the gates.

"The healing halls are organized." Ruby stood to the side as Éowyn gave orders.

"That's good. I daresay we'll need them soon enough." The blond Lady wiped her hands on her dress. She looked tired.

"Let's hope no one panics and spreads chaos." Ruby muttered. "You need rest. You're of no use to no one if you keel over in exhaustion."

"Make way for the King. Make way for Théoden. Make way for the King." Ruby was interrupted.

"So few. So few of you have returned." Éowyn strode to her uncle.

"Our people are safe. We have paid for it with many lives." Théoden looked haggard. Gimli was walking with his head bent. Éowyn stopped him.

"My lady." He greeted.

"Lord Aragorn…where is he?" She looked through the sad faces. Gimli faltered, his eyes briefly meeting Ruby's.

"He fell." Gimli whispered.

Legolas came to Ruby, the Evenstar in his fist. They stood there, looking at the pendant. It seemed dull. Ruby snapped out of her stare when Legolas closed his fist and put the necklace away in his pocket. He held Ruby's head and kissed her forehead. Ruby stood on her toes and captured his lips. She held him close by the back of his neck and sobbed through the kiss, breaking it.

"I'm glad you're safe." She managed to speak. Legolas held her close and squeezed her.

" _Rok dir voth ahkrin._ " Legolas whispered. She nodded against his chest. Ruby embraced Gimli, who was trying not to shake. The three of them stood in silence, letting the unfathomable sink in. Ruby seemed detached from their reality. A woman passed with sheets, probably on her way to the healing halls, to rip them into bindings. She followed. "Ruby..."

"Let her be, lad." Gimli held Legolas' elbow.

* * *

Ruby was satisfied with the progress in the healing halls, many salves were already being made, with her help to make the herbs grow faster and lusher. She had left to see if there was anything she could do to help anywhere. Gimli was at the blacksmith's, putting his Dwarven knowledge to use and improving weapons and armour. Ruby remembered the armour Thorin had given her. She would have been missing it right now if she did not have her scales. Legolas was walking on the walls, instructing guards to their posts. Théoden was ordering those who could not fight into the caves. Ruby decided to check their supplies. Clean water was of the essence, but there was a well in the caves and near the healing halls. Canteens were being filled. Bread, dried meat, and any other foods were scarce and being closely guarded and carefully rationed. She sighed. Perhaps she should try and rest before the battle. She doubted she would use much of her weapons, as she felt that her true identity might be soon needed, but it couldn't hurt to have them cleaned and sharpened. Having procured a whetstone and some blade oil, she walked leisurely on a higher platform, looking for a place to sit.

* * *

" _Mae carnen, Brego, mellon nîn._ " Aragorn whispered to his horse as he dismounted in the middle of a crowd. Choruses of 'He's alive!' ran across the people, and their spirits were lifted. A gruff voice soon made its way to his ears, making him smile, despite his exhaustion. He turned to see Gimli pushing his way through the crowd.

"Where is he? Where is he? Get out of the way! I'm going to kill him!" The Dwarf finally laid eyes on him. "You are the luckiest, the canniest, and the most reckless man I ever knew." He wrapped his arm around Aragorn's middle, much to the taller man's discomfort. "Bless you laddie."

"Gimli, where is the king?" He pushed his friend away. Gimli nodded in the right direction. With a pat to his shoulder, Aragorn walked toward where Théoden was. He stopped right before he ran into Legolas, who looked at him critically.

" _Le abdollen_." He finally said, to which the Man rolled his eyes, exasperated. "You look terrible." Aragorn laughed. Legolas handed the Evenstar back to him. A little strength had come back to him at the touch of his lover's pendant, but he believed his knees would betray him at any moment.

" _Hannon le_." He clasped the chain around his neck.

"Ruby is going to kill you." Legolas clasped his friend's shoulder, supporting his swaying form. "Speak of the Dr—Devil." He corrected himself, nodding to an approaching figure behind Aragorn. He turned and saw her walking, looking for something, a whetstone and a bottle of blade oil in her hands. When her eyes finally met his, she froze, her jaw and hands going slack, the bottle smashing on the ground, the whetstone rolling away, bouncing down the steps next to her.

Aragorn stumbled towards her, a tightness in his chest he had only felt once before, when his mother had passed. His legs finally gave out when he reached her, crashing to his knees in front of her, his arms instinctively wrapping around her waist, pulling her closer to bury his face in her chest. He expected to hear her screeching about how reckless he was, to feel her slapping him silly, for her to shake him but none of that happened. Instead, he felt trembling hands run down his head, ignoring the many knots in his hair to cup his cheeks and make him look up at her.

Her eyes fascinated anyone who looked into them, the everchanging colours captivating anyone's sight, but few knew how to read them. The sheen of tears was thick over the disbelief he saw. When she finally was sure he was real before her, under her palms, around her waist, she pulled his head to her heart and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, cradling his head in her hands. He felt tears drop silently in his hair as her chest began to heave and jolt in silent sobs and hiccups.

" _Zu'u los ful kogaan, hi los ni ahraan._ " She whispered brokenly into his hair, kissing the top of his head.

" _Monah_..." He closed his eyes, listening to her erratic heart, trying to calm the shaking in his voice. " _Zu'u los faas_."

"Don't be, _yunkliin_. I am here." She took his head again and made him look up at her, their foreheads touching. "I will protect you." She sighed, kissing his face over and over again. She sobbed, hugging his head to her again, finally letting a laugh mix in with her sobs. She pulled Aragorn up and steadied him, wiping her tears on her sleeve.

She and Legolas helped him to the healing halls, where she swiftly took care of him herself. They finally managed to meet with Théoden, who was slumped on his throne, talking over his plans.

Legolas leaned against a wall next to a table, where Ruby was sitting on, her feet on the bench. He noticed her looking fondly at Aragorn, then rubbing under her stomach. He could nearly feel the despair radiating off her. He stepped in front of her and knelt on the bench between her feet. He slid his hands up her thighs and rested them next to her hips, touching his forehead to hers.

"One day." He smiled at her. She smiled back at him and held his face, kissing him sweetly.

"I know, _shir_." She smiled at him and caressed her hands down his neck to his chest. She rubbed her palms up to his shoulders and pulled him closer for a deeper kiss.

"BUT NOT TODAY!" Gimli's outraged voice made them jump. He was sitting next to her knee on the bench, leaning his back on the table. Legolas stepped away from her, his ears red. Ruby, shameless as ever, merely grinned.

"Might we get back to the matter at hand?" Théoden frowned at them. "A great host, you say?" he turned his attention back to Aragorn.

"All Isengard is emptied." He nodded.

"How many?"

"Ten thousand strong at least." A tense silence followed his words. Ruby straightened.

"Ten Thousand?" Ruby hoped he was exaggerating. Théoden looked lost.

"It is an army bred for a single purpose: To destroy the world of Men." He looked at Ruby.

"You know I will always stand by you." She assured him. She did not like the shard of fear in his eyes directed at her. He nodded.

"They will be here by nightfall."

"Let them come!" Théoden walked away, his head Guard and what remained of the Fellowship in tow. "I want every man and strong lad able to bear arms to be ready for battle by nightfall." They walked outside of the gate and looked up. "We will cover the causeway and the gate from above. No army has ever breached the Deeping wall, or set foot inside the Hornburg!"

"This is no rabble of mindless Orcs. These are Uruk-Hai. Their armour is thick and their shields broad." Gimli was always the pessimistic one.

"I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf. I know how to defend my own keep." Théoden walked back inside Helm's Deep. As Aragorn followed, he pat Gimli on the shoulder. They made their way to the top of the fortress. "They will break upon this fortress like water on rock. Saruman's hordes will pillage and burn. We've seen it before. Crops can be resown, homes rebuilt. Within these walls we will outlast them."

"They do not come to destroy Rohan's crops or villages. They come to destroy its people, down to the last child." Aragorn snapped. Théoden turned around and grabbed Aragorn's shirt, pulling him closer.

"What would you have me do? Look at my men. Their courage hangs by a thread. If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance."

"Let. Him. Go." Ruby wrapped her fingers around Théoden's wrist.

"You hide behind this woman. Who is she to offer a Ranger of the North protection?"

"You will wish for my protection by the end of tonight." Ruby detangled Théoden's fingers from Aragorn's clothes. "If you survive." Her eyes flashed red.

"Send out riders, my lord. You must call for aid." Aragorn insisted.

"And who will come? Elves? Dwarves? And what are you?" he briefly turned to Ruby, then back to Aragorn. "We are not so lucky in our friends as you. The old alliances are dead."

"Gondor will answer."

"Gondor?!" Théoden's outrage was palpable. "Where was Gondor when the Westfold fell?! Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us?! Where was Gon–?" He recomposed himself. "No, my Lord Aragorn, we are alone." He walked away towards a gate, shouting orders. "Get the women and children into the caves."

* * *

Move back! Move to the caves!" A guard was shouting to a line going into the caves. "Come on, people! Quickly, now!"

"We'll place the reserves along the wall. They can support the archers from above the gate." Aragorn was instructing.

"Aragorn, you must rest. You're no use to us half alive." Legolas hurried after him, his own long strides easily keeping up with him, leaving Ruby and Gimli behind. Éowyn approached Aragorn.

"I'm to be sent with the women into the caves." She scowled.

"That is an honorable charge." He nodded.

"To mind the children, to find food and bedding when the men return. What renown is there in that?" Her voice broke and she looked to Ruby, fast approaching. "She stays and fights, how is she any different? I can wield a blade too!"

"My lady, a time may come for valour without renown. Who then will your people look to in the last defence?" Legolas reasoned.

"Let me stand at your side." Éowyn was still looking at Aragorn.

"It is not in my power to command it." He shook his head.

"You do not command the others to stay! They fight beside you because they would not be parted from you. Because they love you." She seemed to regain her bearing. "I'm sorry." She whispered and walked away towards the caves.

* * *

Aragorn was inspecting the swords and other weapons being passed to the men. He was glad for Gimli's help with the weapons, but he had improved only a fraction of them.

"Farmers, farriers, stable boys. These are no soldiers." Ruby was again sitting on a table, her own knives shining from Legolas' and Aragorn's belts. She rolled up her corset and her hooded scarf, stashing them away somewhere out of sight. She loosened her boots.

"Most have seen too many winters." Gimli was walking around.

"Or too few." Legolas was restless. They were sitting ducks. "Look at them. They're frightened. You can see it in their eyes." The men turned around and looked at him. A tense silence fell.

" _Boe a hyn neled herain dan caer menig?_ " Legolas nearly laughed.

"Legolas, _sîdh_." Ruby warned.

" _Si, beriathar hyn ammaeg na ned Edoras..._ " Aragorn tried to look at the bright side of things. Helm's Deep was strong.

"Aragorn, _nedin dagor hen ú-'erir ortheri. Natha daged dhaer_!" Legolas was tactless at the worst of times.

"Then I shall die as one of them!" He finally snapped. He turned and walked away. Legolas tried to follow, but Gimli held him back.

"Let him go, lad. Let him be." They watched Ruby go after him instead.

* * *

It was already dark outside as Ruby sniffed the air, following Aragorn's scent. She was slowly letting her Dragon senses resurface. The smell of sweat, iron, rain, Orcs and Humans made her stomach rumble. She was half ashamed at her instincts, but she reckoned they would be put to good use soon enough. She found Aragorn sitting on some steps, talking to a young boy.

"—not live out the night. They say that it is hopeless." The boy was saying. Aragorn got up and looked at the sword's edge. He swung it around. It was shit.

"This is a good sword." He said instead, handing the sword back to the boy. "Haleth, son of Háma," he put his hand on the boy's shoulder and bent down a little to look in his eyes, "there is always hope."

Ruby approached. The boy's eyes snapped to her.

"Stay low." She told him. "Keep to the shadows." The boy nodded and left. Ruby had her hands on her hips, surveying the horizon.

"Anything?" Aragorn asked.

"I can hear them. I can smell them." Aragorn saw her eyes flash, he held out his hand as she pulled off her clothes, her scales already radiating heat. She left her face bare for now, but her horns were sitting proudly atop her head.

"It's been a while since I've seen you like this." His smile was strained. Ruby beckoned him to her. He approached and let her hug him. He felt her warmth and sighed.

"Stay safe." She was trembling.

"You too." They needn't say much more to eachother. They heard a gasp and turned to see Théoden staring at Ruby.

"Yo—you're a—Dragon!" Théoden's voice had the tendency to carry, and so silence befell them as the Men stared at her in apprehension.

"Technically, I'm a Wyvern. If you want to be precise." She blinked at the lack of response, aside from Aragorn shaking his head and laughing softly through his nose. "A Dragon has four legs, Wyverns only have two...?"

"A Dragon fights for us!" Théoden's head Guard shouted into the crowd. A loud cheer erupted. Word would spread quickly, she would not need to worry about friendly fire.

"Why was this not mentioned sooner?" Théoden approached and studied her.

" _If_ you had believed, word might have reached the Uruks." Ruby reasoned. "I'm a pretty little surprise, all wrapped up with a bow." She smiled, letting her sharp fangs show.

"I am glad you are with us." He said truthfully.

* * *

Aragorn was busy getting in his armour. He searched for the last pieces, but saw them being handed to him. He followed the arm to see Legolas.

"We have trusted you this far. You have not led us astray. Forgive me. I was wrong to despair."

" _Ú-moe edaved_ , Legolas." They put their hands on eachother's shoulders. Gimli walked in with a chainmail shirt held in his hands.

"We had time, I'd get this adjusted." He scowled and let it drop all the way down to the floor. "It's a little tight across the chest."

Aragorn rose his eyebrows as if to say 'Really?' as Legolas smiled. Gimli was having trouble putting his arms down all the way.

"Legolas." Ruby appeared around a corner. They started a little at her appearance, but relaxed when she sniggered. "A word?"

"She just wants you under her skirts before the battle!" Gimli quipped.

"I'm not the one wearing a dress here, Gimli." She smirked at his chainmail. Legolas passed a blushing Aragorn to take Ruby's outstretched hand and followed her. They walked a bit into the fortress, into the abandoned kitchen. "Though he is right." Ruby said, as soon as she closed and bolted the door behind her and pulled Legolas to her, turning so she could push him against the wood. She immediately latched onto his lips, standing on her toes and pulling Legolas' hair to make him bow his head closer. Legolas grabbed the backs of her thighs and hoisted her up, wrapping her legs around him. Her scales retreated instantly, leaving her stark naked in his arms.

He walked blindly until he tripped on a bench, stumbling and dropping Ruby on the table, whatever was in the way of her back clattering noisily to the floor. Ruby grunted at the impact and detached herself from him long enough to undo his belt and the ties of his breeches.

In one swift move, Legolas was buried deep inside her. He pumped his hips quickly and shallowly. Ruby pulled his hair again, but instead of meeting the kiss he offered, latched her mouth to his neck. She bit down hard and sucked. The coppery taste of blood made a deep growl bubble from her chest, and Legolas' outcry brought her instincts to the surface. With a swift yank to his hair and a kick to the bench under her foot, she pulled him onto his back on the table and straddled him. Kneeling on the table, she rode him as hard as she could, his hands aiding her hips harshly.

This was not tender lovemaking. Their anxiety, need, fear and arousal mixing together into their rather unsatisfactory release. Ruby panted, looking down at them. He was still fully clothed, having disrobed only enough to fuck. That's what this was. A frantic fuck. They looked at eachother. They didn't laugh, they didn't cry. They just stared into their lover's eyes and breathed.

Ruby felt Legolas still inside her. She blinked heavily as she tightened her walls, feeling him stir. She slowly rose, until he nearly fell out, then sank again, just as slow. Her hands were splayed on his chest, her eyes never leaving his. His grip softened and he let her set her preferred pace, choosing to sit up and hug her to him. Their kiss was salty and wet, and none of them knew which of them shed tears first, and it was not important. What was important is that they were together now, and they would do all they could to be together after this war. This time, their release shook them deeply, and left them sated.

"I love you so much." Ruby held Legolas' wet face and breathed in his scent. He kissed her, pulling a shaky breath into his lungs.

"Please be careful out there, _meleth nîn_." He begged.

Their hearts clenched coldly as they promised eachother they would be cautious. They both knew they were lying. Rising and covering themselves again, they strode out slowly, as if that could hinder the start of the battle. They heard a horn.

"That is no Orc horn." Legolas tilted his head and blinked. They hastened their pace, meeting Aragorn along the way.

"—fought and died together. We come to honour that allegiance." Haldir was standing with a company of archers behind him. Aragorn descended the stone steps in a hurry.

" _Mae govannen, Haldir._ " He hugged the Elf tightly. Haldir, taken aback, froze for a moment, but then smiled indulgedly and hugged him back. "You are most welcome."

Legolas saw Haldir's eyes snap to Ruby and stepped in front of her. He was sure he heard her stifle a laugh. Nonetheless, he welcomed Haldir with a hand do his shoulder and a smile. He turned to stand behind the Marchwarden. As the other Elves turned around and rested their bows against the ground in position, Haldir turned his attention back to Théoden.

"We are proud to fight alongside Men once more."

* * *

Translations:

 _Rok dir voth ahkrin. - He died bravely._

 _Mae carnen, Brego, mellon nîn. - Well done, Brego, my friend._

 _Le abdollen. - You're late._

 _Hannon le. - Thank you._

 _Zu'u los ful kogaan, hi los ni ahraan. - I am so blessed, you are not hurt._

 _Monah - Mother_

 _Zu'u los faas. - I am afraid._

 _Yunkliin. - Hatchling._

 _shir - dear_

 _Boe a hyn neled herain dan caer menig? - And they should be three hundred against ten thousand?_

 _Si, beriathar hyn ammaeg na ned Edoras... - They have more hope of defending themselves here than at Edoras…_

 _nedin dagor hen ú-'erir ortheri. Natha daged dhaer! - they cannot win this fight. They are all going to die!_

 _sîdh - peace_

 _Ú-moe edaved, Legolas. - There is nothing to forgive, Legolas._

 _Meleth nîn - My Love_

 _Mae govannen, Haldir. - Well met, Haldir._


	31. Chapter 31

_Finally, the battle of Helm's Deep! We are nearing 100 reviews, so I think I'll let the 100th reviewer have a wish for the story. Who will it be?_

* * *

They were all in their places. Ruby was standing on a tall outlook the perfect place for her to take off. She could see Aragorn walking amongst the Elves, giving them a pep talk. Legolas was by Gimli, who was hopping in his spot trying to see over the wall. She briefly caught Haldir's gaze, but he turned to the battle. She followed his example and watched the Uruks approaching.

Rain began to fall. She was glad she did not have any fur or feathers, but the wind would be a bother. Ruby was so focused on her plan she barely caught on to what had happened to make the battle finally start.

"So it begins." Théoden's heavy words carried up to her.

The arrows went first. She couldn't very well fly between the tiny projectiles. Then, the ladders came. The sound of swords being drawn filled the air. She shifted silently, still on her dark outlook. No torches were lit around her to keep her hidden as long as possible. She sat on her haunches, black scales glistening and smoking in the rain, and waited.

" _Dago hon! Dago hon!_ "

Ruby snapped her eyes to her right at Aragorn's yells. A few seconds later, she saw the Orc with a torch running towards the wall. It exploded with a tremendous shake to the keep. Thinking quickly, she pulled her powers from inside her and forced the stone to fly outwards and crash towards the enemy. She dragged the destruction as far as she could. The little bit of water inside the walls was used to drown the nearest Uruks and push the others back so that the Elves could assemble themselves again after the quake. The gate was being braced against attack, and orders were being given to fall back to the Keep.

"Now would be a wonderful time, Mother!" Aragorn called loudly. "How long do you need?" He turned towards Théoden.

"As long as you can give me." He was looking up, searching for Ruby.

"Gimli!" Aragorn called.

"Roast 'em, lassie!" the Dwarf followed Aragorn into a doorway.

"Timbers! Brace the gate!" Théoden ordered.

She flew a few laps, getting reacquainted with her wings and looked down. Uruks fired large crossbows with hooks onto the wall. She dove and spread her wings just in time to curve upwards and pull the ropes, destroying the giant crossbows by dropping them into the enemy army. She briefly saw Legolas and circled back to perch on the wall next to him. She roared at the Uruks who stumbled back. She had to take all opportunities to scare them. She lowered her head to Legolas and nuzzled him as best she could with a head twice his size. He pressed his chest to her snout and she breathed in his scent. A purr rumbled from her chest.

"You are beautiful." Legolas spoke to her. She blinked at him. "Aragorn!" Their attention snapped to the gates. Legolas threw down a rope. Aragorn held Gimli as he gripped the rope and pushed away from the Uruks. Ruby grabbed the rope and took off, pulling everyone holding on to the rope swiftly into the air and dropped them in the Keep.

She grabbed onto a rock and took off once more, dropping it into the gap at the wall. It wasn't much, but any hindrance to the Uruks was acceptable. She focused on destroying any ladders or other contraptions by lifting them high and dropping them on the enemy. The thinner hide on her wings burned as it was pierced by many arrows, but she bit through the pain.

The Uruks were many, and she finally heard Argorn shouting for them to return to the Keep. Him and Legolas had to drag an over-enthusiastic Gimli back to safety as she circled them from above. She had taken to spitting small fireballs at stragglers, now that Men and Uruks were mixed, and she did not want to accidentally unleash friendly fire. Aragorn was yelling at Haldir, gesturing to him frantically, to no avail. Ruby took a sharp turn and landed on the wall next to the Marchwarden, viciously snapping at an Orc who had stabbed the Elf in the arm.

A roar escaped her as a hook embedded itself in the thin leather between her fourth and fifth phalange and was pulled, ripping a gash in her wing membrane.

"Mîruin!" Haldir snapped out of his despair for the moment. Ruby snorted in pain and shoved Haldir off the wall, making him fall into a few of his comrades and lead them into the keep. She pulled up into the air clumsily, spraying everyone below with her blood. Screams echoed below her, but she could do nothing to stop the flow of blood aside from flying above the enemy army, occasionally dipping down to snap and breathe fire at them.

It seemed like the night went on forever, until the sun finally rose. She heard horses whinnying and manoeuvred tiredly around to see Théoden and her companions riding out. She opened her mouth wide and roared, a gust of fire laying waste to the Uruks in their way. The horses screamed reluctantly at following the path she opened, but they were obedient to their masters. Ruby circled the Noble riders when she looked to the east and saw Gandalf leading the Rohirrim down a hill.

"Victory! We have victory!" Théoden was calling.

The remnant of the Uruk Hai ran towards Fangorn Forest, Ruby chasing after them in the air, playing with the stragglers in a last burst of energy. She would pick them up and throw them high in the air, only to either watch them fall on the other Uruks or to swat at them, like an overgrown cat.

"Stay out of the forest!" Éomer was sure no one wanted to interrupt the Dragon's fun, but his men were still chasing some Orcs. "Keep away from the trees!" He backed his horse up as the rest of the soldiers watched the Uruks go into the forest and the Dragon touch down and sit on its haunches. One of its wings didn't fold neatly to its side. As soon as all of the Uruks disappeared, the trees started moving and making noises. The last of the Uruks were dead.

An arrow hit her. She looked down at the toothpick ricocheting off her shoulder to the ground. It felt like a pebble, but she still snorted in the direction of a young, trembling Man.

"Ruby, you're scaring the horses." Gandalf called to the Dragon, who in turn, seemed to snicker. The Rohirrim watched, amazed, as it shifted into a rather short Woman, though the scales remained on her body.

"You!" Éomer recognized her.

"Still so crass, Horselord." She staggered up the hill to them. "Gandalf." She greeted and stopped in front of Shadowfax. He snorted nervously at her, to which she extended a hand for him to sniff. He seemed satisfied, so the other horses calmed. "Right on time." She panted at the Wizard.

"You looked like you were handling it well. Though not even you made it unscathed?" he looked at the various puncture wounds on her arms, oozing a dark red. Her right arm had a horrible looking gash from her elbow to between her ring and smallest fingers.

"I can't very well fly with armoured wings, now, can I?" She shrugged, then winced. "Horselord, it is rude to stare."

"My name is Éomer, Dragon."

"Mine is Ruby, and technically, I'm a Wyvern."

* * *

Legolas walked across the battlefield towards where Gimli was smoking.

"Final count:" he caressed his bow. "forty-two." He smirked.

"Forty-two? That's not bad for a pointy-eared Elvish princeling." Gimli watched his smirk turn into a scowl. "I myself am sitting pretty on forty-three." He said smugly.

Legolas quickly pulled out an arrow, aimed it towards Gimli, and fired. The arrow embedded itself in the Uruk just between Gimli's legs.

"Forty-Three." Legolas shrugged.

"He was already dead." Gimli glared at the Elf.

"He was twitching." Legolas put on his most innocent face.

"He was twitching," Gimli started, "because he's got my axe," he held said axe, "embedded in his nervous system!" he pushed the axe back and forth, effectively making the Orc twitch.

"Haven't you two learned to get along by now?" Ruby appeared and sat on a rock. She was tired and had to walk back, none of the Horses were willing to carry her.

"Gimli is having trouble counting." Legolas smiled at her. His relief at seeing her relatively well was palpable.

"He's the one cheating on his count!" Gimli brandished his pipe towards the Elf. "How many did you get, lassie?" he asked.

His answer was a hearty belch from Ruby, much to Legolas' disgust. She smacked her lips together.

"I'm going to need a lot of wine to wash this filthy taste off." She looked up at his disgusted face. "How 'bout a kiss?" she laughed, not in a million years expecting that Legolas would actually bend down and press his lips to hers, however briefly. He pulled away, a little green, but with a steady gaze.

"I love you for who you are." Ruby caressed his cheek with her left hand, her scales retreating from her hand so as not to hurt him. "But try and stick to healthy animals from now on?" She threw her head back, laughing, her sharp teeth glinting. "Come on, let's get you to a healer."

* * *

Translations:

 _Dago hon! - Kill him!_


	32. Chapter 32

"No, it will heal, it's just a scratch!"

"Ruby, your finger is falling off! I can see the bone! It needs stitching!"

"You're not stitching anything, going blind in your old age, you bat!"

"You need to at least let them clean the wound, Lassie..."

" _Meleth nîn_ , it pains me to see you like this."

That finally did the trick. Ruby looked at Legolas' concerned gaze and huffed, obediently sitting on a chair in the Healing Halls. One of the healers brought a basin of warm water, infused with herbs, another carried in his arms various items they thought they would need. She extended her arm and willed the scales away. She dipped it in the water, shaking and hissing in pain. Gandalf took a cloth and started cleaning her gash, from the elbow down. Up until when he got to her wrist, the pain was bearable. The flesh was still connected to the bone. Then, when she raised her arm from the sullied bowl of bloody water to dip it in a clean one, she finally saw her hand.

Her little finger was still firmly attached to her hand, it only seemed longer than it should have been. She blinked and turned her palm to face her. There was a cut, all the way through her flesh, from between her two last fingers to the heel of her hand, nearly separating her little finger from its brothers.

Before she could process it, Gandalf took her wrist gently and guided her hand back into the basin. When he started rubbing the cloth as gently as he could to rid her skin of dirt and dried blood, she started acting up.

"Alright, it's clean now, let me go." She made to stand, but Aragorn put a hand on her shoulder. "Let go of me, Aragorn."

"Your hand needs to be taken care of." He tried to reason with her.

"I said, let me go, little Man." There was a rumble under her voice as her chest glowed hotter.

"Go ahead." Aragorn challenged her. "Roast me. You'll be flying crooked for the rest of your life, _Monah_."

Ruby looked at him, baffled. Even Gandalf spied at Aragorn from the corner of his eye, though he did not stop his ministrations. He had never spoken against his mother, much less in that tone.

"Aragorn, I think this isn't helping..." Legolas pulled his friend back. They jumped when Ruby jerked and let out a yowl of pain. Gandalf had started stitching her.

"Where the fuck are the numbing herbs?" she tried to pull her arm from Gandalf, only succeeding in hurting herself more and tearing the first few stitches.

"They were in the water, and were strong enough to knock out five grown Men!" a healer was wide eyed, watching Ruby flounder in the Wizard's grasp. His grip was slipping with all the blood, and still she was awake. Awake and angry and in pain.

"Gandalf, stop it!" she shrieked. "It hurts, let me go!" she was pushing at him with her other arm, but the old wizard was much stronger than he looked. " _Bormah_ , you're hurting me! Legolas, make him stop!" her voice cracked and she looked at the Elf with tear-filled eyes, so green, they were glowing emerald. It was as if a knife had been plunged into Legolas' heart. He reached to Gandalf, but his hand was pulled back by Gimli. The Dwarf had tears freely flowing from his eyes into his beard, but he was not ashamed.

"Lassie." His voice was thick. "You may be stronger, but I will not hesitate to sit on you if that makes you stop squirming. You need stitches. You're losing too much blood."

Legolas pulled a stool to sit in front of Ruby, his left leg weighing hers as he pulled her torso to his chest. She still wiggled and squirmed, but Gandalf was able to pull out the ripped stitches and start over, somewhat more easily. Aragorn was pacing and biting his nails, Gimli was still weeping, but Legolas remained strong and held her. He was glad for having her blood in him, for he could smell his clothes smouldering against her, but he did not feel the burn on his skin. What he did feel, very much so, was when Gandalf started on her hand. She sunk her fangs into his shoulder and screamed bloody murder so shrilly, his delicate ears were surely not the only ones that started to ring. He felt his shirt wet with his blood, but what hurt him more were her tears. Panic rose in his chest when she started to thrash around again.

"Someone knock her out, for pity's sake!" Aragorn bellowed. Gimli faltered, but walked around her with his axe in hand. With the butt of it, he hit the back of her head.

Her frame sagged against Legolas, and when Gandalf was finally done, Aragorn spread a healing salve on her stitches, hoping his Kingly Touch would help heal her.

"You are not her King, Aragorn." Gandalf put his bloody hand on the Man's shoulder, who was shaking his head in confusion.

Her arm was bandaged, her other arm much more easily taken care of. Legolas hoisted her in his arms as carefully as he could, and carried her inside, a servant showing him to a room they could use. He sat on the bed, holding Ruby's uninjured hand and praying to all Entities willing to listen for her to heal.

* * *

Legolas awoke with a start when he heard his name. His back was sore from having slept sitting up, but he didn't care. He watched Ruby frown and blink at him.

"What happened?" her voice was rough.

"You were hurt, and taken to the healing halls." Legolas straightened his back.

"I take it from your clothes, you were the one to hold me down?" She sat up with his help. Legolas looked down at the burnt scraps hanging off his shoulders. He smiled grimly at her. " _Draaf_. I'm sorry." She raised her hands to rub her face, but hissed in pain. She looked at her arms instead. "I don't remember anything after I found you and Gimli outside."

"Gandalf did a good job patching you up. Don't worry about it, I'm the only one worse for wear." He tried to console her.

"That worries me." She deadpanned, looking him over.

"How about a bath?" He stood, walking to the door and poking his head outside to ask for a tub and hot water.

* * *

They sighed in unison as Ruby rose on her knees and Legolas slipped out of her. They had joined together in the tub, even though the bathwater was filthy from black and red blood, dirt, ash and sweat. Ruby's arms were properly cleaned after they had dried themselves and dressed in loose cotton night clothes, and after spreading a salve Gandalf had left with Legolas, he wrapped her wounds tightly. They returned to the bedroom to find the bed changed and cuddled under the covers, relishing in eachother's company, grateful to have survived the battle. Sleep came easily in eachother's arms.

* * *

Ruby awoke sick to her stomach, and nearly had to hurl at the smell of food at breakfast, but a hot cup of tea given to her by Gandalf settled her stomach. Still being stuffed from the battle, she watched from her perch on Legolas' lap as the fellowship and the Rohirrim ate. Her sight caught Haldir with his kin, and she nodded at him in greeting, suppressing a smirk as she felt the arms around her tighten. Even so, he stood and walked over to them.

"Prince." He bowed stiffly to Legolas, who looked every bit his father's son with the look he was giving Haldir. "My Lady." To the surprise of many, the Marchwarden knelt. "I thank you for your rescue in the battlefield. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Rise, Haldir." She smiled at him. "There's no need for this. I'm just glad you're safe." With another bow, the Elf went back to his unit. Ruby flexed her right fingers tentatively in Legolas' hair.

"Don't." As much as he enjoyed her caresses, she needed to heal first. "More tea?" he offered. She shook her head and enjoyed the rare opportunity to be taller (if only by a little) than him while she sat on his lap. Lowering her head, she nuzzled his ear, chuckling as she watched him suppress a shiver.

"Would you two stop that! We are eating!" Gimli sputtered, hitting the table with his oatmeal-covered spoon.

"Come now. We ride out." Gandalf cut in before Ruby could answer. They made their way to the stables.

What remained of the Fellowship was atop a hill, overlooking Mordor. A red explosion could be seen in the distance.

"Sauron's wrath will be terrible, his retribution swift." Gandalf mused. "The battle of Helm's Deep is over. The battle for Middle-Earth is about to begin. All our hopes now lie with two little Hobbits...somewhere in the wilderness."


	33. Chapter 33

_I fear Ruby is becoming mora of a Mary Sue than I originally anticipated... thoughts?_

* * *

Ruby was riding with Legolas. She was still in her scales, and even though they all knew that the nearly indestructible protection was best, the illusion of her being naked made Legolas ride in the back of the group, and others blush as they turned to talk to them. Her Heat was kept at bay to ride with him, who was enjoying the bruises he got in the battle being warmed. Her scent had changed, she smelled strongly of smoke, but underneath he could sense something wild that drove him mad. The fact that Ruby was purposefully shifting in front of him made him shudder and dip his head down to the crook of her neck and nuzzle the smooth scales. She pretended to move to a more comfortable position, but it was only to tease him by making the scales on her back vanish to pale skin, revealing the dip of her spine, and the beginning of a crack at its base. He pulled her harshly back to him, lest anyone else see.

"Stop teasing." He pressed his hard member into the base of her spine. She wiggled and raised her bandaged arms to pull his head lower and whisper into his ear:

"I want you." A purr made her breath vibrate in his ear.

"It's good. Definitely from the Shire. Longbottom Leaf." They heard a familiar voice as they approached Isengard, pulling them from their moment.

"I feel like I'm back at the Green Dragon." Another answered.

"Green Dragon." The first sighed.

"Actually, I'm black." Ruby called, recomposing herself.

"Ruby!" the Hobbits spotted the visitors from Helm's Deep.

"Welcome, my lord, to Isengard!" Merry bowed to Théoden.

"You young rascals! A merry hunt you've led us on, and now we find you, feasting and…smoking!" Gimli was rather grumpy at not being allowed to rest much.

"We are sitting on a field of victory, enjoying a few well-earned comforts." Pippin defended. "The salted pork is particularly good." He added.

"Salted pork?" Gimli swallowed thickly.

"Hobbits." Gandalf shook his head.

"We're under orders, from Treebeard, who's taken over management of Isengard." Merry explained and pointed them to the right direction.

"Young Master Gandalf." A deep voice greeted them.

"Pfft...Ha ha ha!" They all looked back at Ruby. "He called Gandalf 'young'!" She snickered. A series of eyerolls and sighs ensued.

"Ruby. You look better." Treebeard observed the Elf's arms around her. Turning back to Gandalf, he continued. "I'm glad you've come. Wood and water, stock and stone I can master. But there is a Wizard to manage here, locked in his tower."

"Show yourself." Aragorn whispered tensely.

"Be careful. Even in defeat, Saruman is dangerous." Gandalf warned.

"Well, let's just have his head and be done with it." Gimli was on edge. And hungry.

"I second that emotion." Ruby raised her bandaged hand.

"No. We need him alive. We need him to talk." Gandalf frowned at her antics.

"You have fought many wars and slain many men, Théoden King," Saruman showed himself on the top of the tower as he spoke. "and made peace afterwards. Can we not take counsel together as we once did, my old friend? Can we not have peace, you and I?" His voice was sweet, but they held their ground.

"We shall have peace." Théoden called back. "We shall have peace when you answer for the burning of the Westfold and the children that lie dead there! We shall have peace when the lives of the soldiers whose bodies were hewn even as they lay dead against the gates of the Hornburg, are avenged! When you hang from a gibbet for the sport of your own crows, we shall have peace."

"Gibbets and crows? Dotard! What do you want, Gandalf Greyhame? Let me guess. The key of Orthanc. Or perhaps the Keys of Barad-dur itself along with the crowns of the seven kings and the rods of the Five Wizards!" Saruman rounded on Ruby. "And the Dragon. King Mother of Men, Queen Under the Mountain, Princess of the Woodland Realm, what more do you wish for? Loyalty to Sauron can bring you great power!"

"Technically, I'm a Wyvern." Ruby held up a finger. "And I'm perfectly content, just where I am." She snuggled her back to Legolas's chest, feeling him wrap an arm around her protectively.

"Your treachery has already cost many lives. Thousands more are at risk. But you can save them, Saruman. You were deep in the enemy's counsel." Gandalf continued.

"So you have come here for information. I have some for you." Saruman lifted up his Palantír and gazed into it. "Something festers in the heart of Middle-Earth. Something that you have failed to see. But the Great Eye has seen it." He put the Palantír back down. "Even now he presses his advantage. His attack will come soon. You're all going to die." He watched as Gandalf approached the base of Orthanc. "But you know this, don't you, Gandalf? You cannot think that this Ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor. This exile, crept from the shadows, will never be crowned King. Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those closest to him, those he professes to love. Tell me, what words of comfort did you give the Halfling before you sent him to his doom? The path that you have set him on can only lead to death."

"I've heard enough!" Gimli bristled. He whispered loudly to Legolas: "Shoot him. Stick an arrow in his gob."

"No." Gandalf waved at them to be silent. "Come down, Saruman, and your life will be spared."

"Save your pity and your mercy. I have no use for it!" Saruman sent down a fireball towards Gandalf. When the flames subsided, Gandalf was surrounded by a shield.

"Saruman, your staff is broken." He declared. Saruman's staff broke in his hands into many pieces. Grima showed up behind Saruman.

"Grima, you need not follow him." Théoden said. "You were not always as you are now. You were once a Man of Rohan. Come down."

"A Man of Rohan?" Saruman sneered. "What is the house of Rohan but a thatched barn where brigands drink in the reek and their brats roll on the floor with the dogs? The victory at Helm's Deep does not belong to you, Théoden Horse-master. You are a lesser son of greater sires."

"Grima, come down. Be free of him." Théoden did not take the bait.

"Free? He will never be free." Saruman barely looked at the Man.

"No." Grima countered.

"Get down, cur!" Saruman hit Grima, knocking him down.

"Saruman! You were deep in the enemy's counsel. Tell us what you know!"Gandalf ordered.

"You withdraw your guard, and I will tell you where your doom will be decided. I will not be held prisoner here." Saruman bargained. Suddenly, Grima pounced on Saruman, stabbing him several times. Legolas released an arrow, hitting the Man. Grima winced in pain and fell back, leaving the Wizard to plummet off the tower and towards the ground. He landed on top of a spear on one of his own devices. Disgust fell over the faces of several of the riders.

"Send word to all our allies, and to every corner of Middle-Earth that still stands free. The enemy moves against us. We need to know where he will strike." Gandalf ordered. The wheel spun, sinking Saruman into the waters, the Palantír falling out of his robes with a splash. Ruby dismounted and waded away to explore.

"The filth of Saruman is washing away. Trees will come back to live here. Young trees. Wild trees." Treebeard prophesized.

"Pippin!" Aragorn called.

"Bless my bark!"

"Peregrin Took! I'll take that, my lad. Quickly now." Ruby's scales bristled at Gandalf's tone. She had been of the receiving end of it a few times. Pippin handed the Palantír over, watching it be wrapped in the Wizard's robe. They bid farewell to the Ents, Ruby having to be pried from an ash tree's branches, much to its dismay, and rode back to Edoras.


End file.
